Hermione's Song
by DWDuck
Summary: The Doctor finds Melody Pond in a world he is unprepared for, the world of magic at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Hermione's Song

Author: Patrick Mallard (DWDuck)

Pairings: The Doctor / Hermione

Setting: Set after the first half of season 6 of the new Doctor Who series and during Hermione's sixth year at Hogwarts.

Disclaimer: I own none of the rights to either Doctor Who or Harry Potter. I'm just thankful that they were created so the rest of us could enjoy these wonderful universes.

**Demon's Run**

Rory and Amy Pond (Rory having finally given up and taken Amy's last name) stared at the spot where the TARDIs had been just a moment earlier. They shared a look of shock thanks to the Doctor leaving without them. River Song put her hand on Rory's shoulder. "It's all right, things have to happen this way," she assured him.

Rory put his hand on River's. He was still having a hard time coming to grips with the fact that the adult woman standing in front of him was in fact his infant daughter who had just been stolen from them less than an hour ago. He shook his head to clear his thoughts of "timey-wimey" things, as the Doctor put it. "How can you be so sure?" he asked his daughter (who physically was at least 10 years older than him.)

River smiled knowingly at her parents and then looked back at where the TARDIS had been. "I was there, remember?" she asked rhetorically. "He's about to find me again," she said, her eyes twinkling. "Oh the adventures that man and I have had, will have…damn, English just doesn't have the right tenses to describe things like that," she chuckled.

Amy knew that time travelers rarely gave her a straight answer when she asked about things that dealt with her own timeline, but she had to ask River anyway. She had to know that her little girl was going to be OK. "What happens when he finds you?" she begged.

River looked at her mother, her smile somewhere between wistful and somewhat naughty. "That's when I fell in love with him, of course," she said softly.

************Dr Who************

**Opening Credits**

The TARDIS spins into a stormy, blue tunnel of the Vortex. Energy discharges lance out of the sides of the tunnel and strike the TARDIS, sending it tumbling further down the tunnel. The lightning like energy bolts strike each other in the center, leaving silver names in their wake:

**Matt Smith**

**Emma Watson**

The names fly forward and the blue clouds of the Vortex are replaced by angry red clouds. The silver Doctor Who emblem flies out of the storm clouds of the tunnel. The emblem spins and turns into the TARDIS which flies deeper into the red clouds. Underneath the TARDIS are the words:

**Hermione's Song  
>By Patrick Mallard<strong>

************Dr Who************

**Hogwarts**

Hermione Granger sat in the Griffindor's common room on one of the oversized couches near the fireplace. She was reading one of the numerous books about Magical History that had been assigned for her 6th year. Her feet were drawn up under her and she absent mindedly stroked her cat, Crookshanks, with her free hand. She had forgone the school uniform for the night and was lounging in her favorite pink sweatshirt and bluejeans. The book she was engrossed in dealt with Merlin and his actions concerning the Arthurian court.

Ron Weasley walked down the stairs with his favorite wizard's chess set tucked under one arm. He was wearing one of the loose fitting sweaters his mother knitted for every member of the family. His had a large letter "R" on the front. Brushing his long red hair out of his eyes, he glanced down at Hermione and saw what she was reading. He gave an exaggerated sigh to draw her attention. "Typical Hermione," he said in a patronizing voice, rolling his eyes. "You do realize we don't have a test on that book until after Christmas break, don't you" he asked.

"Humph…just because I want to get ahead on the reading material instead of wasting my time playing wizard's chess doesn't give you the right to tease me, Ronald Weasley," Hermione said angrily. She was still a little miffed about seeing him snogging with Luna Lovegood near the Quidditch locker rooms. Hermione would never admit it, but she harbored a crush on her long time friend.

Ron never was one able to take a hint, no matter how it was presented. He started to say something more about her study habits, but was interrupted by their best friend, Harry Potter, making his way down the stairs. Ron pounced on the opportunity to show Hermione he wasn't the only one who thought her study habits daft. "Harry, what's more important – reading a book that we won't be tested on until after Christmas, or blowing of steam with a nice friendly game of chess?" he asked the dark haired boy.

Harry stopped on the last step before entering the common room. He spun on his heel and started walking back up to the room he shared with Ron and Neville Longbottom. "I may be prone to adventure and have a habit leaping before I look, but even I know not to get involved in this discussion," he said with a smirk. He made it a few steps when Hermione sat straight up, letting her book slide to the floor. Her eyes had a glassy, faraway look. "Hermione!" Harry and Ron yelled together. Harry leapt down the remainder of the stairs and ran to Hermione's side. Ron took up a position on Hermione's other side and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Hermione, can you hear us?" Ron asked, concern softening his voice.

Hermione blinked her eyes several times and shook like she was waking up. "That was weird," she said simply.

Ron looked at Harry and rolled his eyes. "What happened?" Harry asked, trying not to laugh at Ron's expression.

Hermione blushed slightly in embarrassment. "I'm not really sure," she replied. "It felt like someone poured ice water down the back of my robe," she tried to explain.

"Do you want us to take you to Madame Pomfrey?" Ron offered.

Hermione blanched. "No…no, I all right," she said quickly. Hermione decided to throw the argument she had been having with Ron to distract him. "I must have got a muscle spasm from reading in this couch too much, I suppose" she said.

"See…I told you something like that would happen. No good can ever come from studying too much," Ron said, trying to sound wise.

Hermione gave Harry a weak smile and he nodded in understanding. There had been several times when the connection he shared with Voldemort had sent him into much worse fits. "Come on Ron, I'll play you in chess. Seems like a good preventative to me. I don't want a sore back," he said, covering for Hermione.

Hermione watched her two best friends setting up the board and laying out the pieces. She was glad that neither one of them had pried, however she knew that at some point she would have to talk to Harry about things. Hermione wasn't even sure how to explain what she had experienced after the shock. She was never one to put any credence into predictions or premonitions, but she had the uncanny feeling that someone important was coming to Hogwarts.

************Dr Who************

The Doctor was nearly dancing around the center console of his TARDIS in glee. The word in Gallifreyan etched onto his old bassinet along with the knowledge that Melody Pond was going to be all right made him almost giddy. In fact to him, Melody was going to be more than just all right; she was going to be River Song. His merry mood evaporated however when he heard the resonating sounds of the cloister bell ringing. "Oh now what?" he demanded from the Universe. He manically dashed from panel to panel of the hexagonal control console in an effort to determine what was cataclysmically wrong this time.

The Doctor was thrown into the railing as the TARDIS began to lurch in odd directions, making it difficult for the Doctor to stay on his feet. He steadied himself with a hand on the Time Rotor once he found the scanner he was looking for. "That is _VERY_ not good," he muttered to himself when he looked at the readout. The temporal scanners showed that he was headed for a whirling maelstrom inside the Vortex, the dimension surrounding and running through the physical one he normally inhabited. Storms in the Vortex were a rarity, but when they did appear, they grew to enormous size and were capable of tossing a Time capsule very far off of its intended course. To top things off, this particular storm was full of energy discharges streaking from side to side in the gigantic "cloud".

The Doctor frantically scanned the storm, looking for a way to avoid becoming temporal flotsam. The storm was too big to fly around, but he thought that he might be able to pilot the TARDIS into the relative calm in the eye of the storm. He spun knobs, flipped switches, and cranked gears as he steered the TARDIS towards the eye of the cosmic storm, hoping to keep the TARDIS together. The TARDIS was almost at the eye of the storm when one of the dangerous energy bolts struck it dead on. Sparks flew from the console and a lesser energy bolt arced out of the Time Rotor to strike the Doctor in the chest. A bright flash of light was the last thing the Doctor remembered before going unconscious.

The next thing the Doctor was aware of was pain throughout his body. His felt like he had tried to run a marathon on a planet with gravity equal to Jupiter's. Needless to say, moving wasn't at the top of his priority list at that moment. He made a valiant effort and managed to open his eyes. Judging by the angle from which he was looking at the Time Rotor, the Doctor figured out he was laying flat on his back. He wondered, not for the first time, if he shouldn't put something down softer than transparent aluminum as a floor for the raised catwalk surround the center console. He rubbed his eyes and reached up to the hexagonal console to pull himself into a sitting position. Once he was more or less upright, the Doctor checked over his clothes to see if they had been damaged in the blast. He glanced at his dark trousers, cream colored shirt, and tan tweed jacket. His free hand went up to his neck to assure himself that his precious bow tie was still intact. Taking a deep breath and forcing his muscles to cooperate, he managed to stand, but still felt every 911 of his years in his bones.

When his vision stopped swimming, the Doctor noticed the Time Rotor had gone still, indicating they had landed somewhere. He slid over to the next panel and looked at the spatial / temporal alignment grid. "All right Sexy, where did we end up this time?" he asked the Time Rotor. The scanners had been knocked out of alignment, but the Doctor was fairly certain the TARDIS had activated its default emergency landing sequence and plopped them down on Earth. He was able to narrow the location a bit and sighed deeply in relief when he saw they were in London. The last thing he needed at that moment was another adventure in the States. He rotated the dial of the scanner 90 degrees so he could figure out when he was. The temporal portion of the scanner had been knocked so far out of whack that he was only able to determine they were some when after the fall of the Roman Empire.

The Doctor straightened up from crouching over the controls and tugged on his bow tie. "Right, time for a little walk to figure out when we are," he told the TARDIS. He pressed down on the button that opened the doors to the physical world and made his way outside. As soon as he was out the doors, the Doctor turned around and locked them without paying too much attention to his surroundings. When he turned around again, he was greeted by a rather confusing sight. The TARDIS had materialized in the mouth of a dingy alley. The buildings lining the street in front of him had been built with absolutely no sense of uniformity. Their styles ranged from early Greek stone work to late Victorian elegance and everything in between. Like any populated area, people were busy going about their business and ignoring the TARDIS. Though the fashions displayed on the people differed as much as the architecture, they were all wearing some type of robe. The Doctor whipped out his sonic screwdriver, held out his hand, and spun around in a quick circle. When he finished spinning, the Doctor held the screwdriver in front of his face so that he could see the readings. Pollution levels in the air showed that he was in London, 1996.

A familiar scent wafted over to the Doctor, interrupting his thoughts. He followed the scent until he stopped in front of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. "If they have sweets, these people can't be all bad," he reassured himself. The Doctor made his way into the shop and began the extremely difficult task of choosing which flavor he wanted. He didn't notice the pair of men wearing black robes headed to the shop as well. Had the Doctor been able to see under their sleeves, he would have seen matching tattoos of a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth on their forearms.

************Dr Who************


	2. Chapter 2

**Diagon Alley**

The Doctor shifted from foot to foot in excitement while in line at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. It had been quite a while since he had indulged in this type of decadence and was astounded at the variety of flavors the quaint little shop offered. He made up his mind when it was finally his turn at the counter. "Orange custard, please," he told the young woman scooping the frozen delicacies. There was a slightly awkward moment when the clerk asked him for money. The Doctor had completely forgotten about how humans exchanged goods, and so was caught off guard when she demanded six Silver-Sickles and 12 Knuts. Embarrassed, he dug around in his pocket until he found a fist-sized lump of gold. A slight frown of worry crossed his face when the clerk just stared at the nugget he offered her. He did think the nugget was rather small once he looked at it. It was meager five and a half centimeters in diameter. When the clerk saw that he was not kidding, she quickly snatched the gold out of the Doctor's hand and offered him a free chocolate fizzy soda to along with ice cream. He thanked her, thinking happily about his luck in finding such generous people.

The Doctor was chasing around the last bit of frozen custard with his spoon when the ice cream parlor became unnaturally quiet as all conversations stopped like they had been cut off with a knife. When he looked around the shop, he saw most eyes were fixed on the entry way. A few patrons let their gaze flick back and forth between the doors and him. The Doctor wiped a bit of frozen custard off of his face with a napkin and casually turned so he could see the doors. Two men in black robes had come into the ice cream parlor while he had been eating.

The taller of the two black robed gents shot a withering look at an old woman who had come out from the back of the store. From her apparent age and the fact that she held herself like a woman in charge, the Doctor assumed she was the proprietor of the shop. She wore a gingham apron tied over her robe. "I would have thought you had better sense, Florean," the taller Death Eater said sourly. When Florean met his gaze with a question in her eyes, he glanced at the Doctor. She followed his gaze and ground her teeth in anger.

"All are welcome in my shop," Florean said challengingly, putting her hands on her hips. She made a point to slowly look the pair of Death Eaters up and down. "Well, everyone but Death Eaters," she said acidly.

The shorter, plumper Death Eater pulled his wand and pointed it at Florean. "We will deal with your impudence later, Florean, but first we have to rid your shop of a Muggle infestation," he said and turned to point his wand at the Doctor.

The Doctor quickly picked up both feet off of the floor and leaned far to the side so he could look under table. He no idea what a "Muggle" was, but he was sure didn't want to have one crawl over his feet or up a trouser leg. Sensing all eyes were on him, the Doctor sat up straight again. He pointed to his chest with his left hand while surreptitiously slipping his right into his jacket pocket. "What…me? _I'm_the Muggle?" he asked the patrons. An elderly couple sitting at the table next to him nodded silently in response. The Doctor frowned and turned his whole body to face the two men in black. He put his feet back on the ground and kept his right hand in his jacket. "I'm not really sure what a 'Muggle' is, but I take it that it isn't a term of endearment?" he asked the Death eaters.

The Death Eaters rolled their eyes at the stupidity of the non-magical buffoon who had somehow wandered into their territory. With a predatory grin, the shorter Death Eater leveled his wand at the Doctor and yelled, "_CONFRINGO_."

The Doctor had been expecting some sort of violence and dove away from the table right before a green blast of energy shattered it into a thousand pieces. He wasn't sure what kind of technology the man was using, but he assumed it was alien in origin. As soon as he stopped rolling, the Doctor whipped out his sonic screwdriver and sent a blast of compressed sonic waves in the direction of the Death Eaters. A high pitch whine was followed almost instantly by a large bowl of ice cream exploding in front of the man who had taken a shot at him. His assailant now had a face covered in double strawberry delight.

Nymphadora Tonks had been sitting at a table that faced the door and had been in the act of drawing her own wand when the shorter Death Eater had fired a blasting curse at the Muggle in the center of the shop. She watched as the "Muggle" dodged the curse and drew his own wand. The wand was unlike any Tonks had ever seen before. She couldn't see the base of it, but the end was made of silver and gold instead of wood. A glowing, green crystal was set in the tip of the unusual wand. When the ice cream exploded, the taller Death Eater started to draw his own wand. The pink haired Auror beat him to the draw and shouted, "_EXPELLIARMUS_!" The Death Eater's wand flew out of his hand to land in the self activated ice cream mixer behind the counter. A series of snaps and crunching noises came from the mixing bowl as the beaters demolished the wand.

The Doctor bolted for the door and saw a young woman with bright pink hair rush at the taller man in black robes. She was wearing a pair of black jeans and a pair of black combat boots with different colored lacing under her robe. Her left boot's lace was neon green and the right's was bright purple. He took a split second to admire her choice in footwear before he hit the door. As the young woman passed the Death Eater, she punched him squarely in his jaw with her left hand. She followed the Doctor out the door before the Death Eaters could recover. Once they were outside, the Doctor slammed the doors shut and pointed his screwdriver at the lock. Again, he said no words and a high pitched whine came from his trusty tool.

"There, that should keep them busy for a time," the Doctor said as he deadlocked the doors. He waved at the two men while they tried to open the doors.

The shorter man smiled contemptuously and pointed his wand at the lock. "_ALOHOMORA_," he shouted. Tonks leveled her wand at the door ready for a fight, but was shocked when it refused to open. The Death Eater shook the doors and tried the unlocking spell several more times, each as fruitless as the one before it.

Tonks giggled at the predicament the Death Eaters had put themselves in but stopped suddenly when she saw a pack of Death Eaters running their way. The Doctor turned to look at what she was staring at and then looked back at Tonks. "Run?" he asked her.

"Yes," Tonks replied. She grabbed him by the hand and led him into the maze of back alleys that surrounded Diagon Alley. Once she was sure that they had lost the Death eaters, Tonks took a long look at the strange man. He looked to be somewhere in his mid to late twenties. His light brown hair was cut so that the front would often fall in his eyes. Tonks looked squarely at the Doctor. "I'm Auror Tonks, who the bloody hell are you?" she demanded.

The Doctor recognized the authority she put into her voice and assumed she was a member of law enforcement. He put away his screwdriver and pulled out his psychic paper. Holding it in front of Tonks, he replied with a question of his own. "Who do _you_think I am?" he asked.

Tonks looked at the identification the man presented. It confirmed a hunch she had about him as soon as she saw how effortlessly he cast non-verbal combined with how he was dressed. "You're a CAT? Sorry to take the lead like that, sir," she said respectfully.

The Doctor looked at Tonks like she was insane and then held his psychic paper so he could read it. The Doctor focused his will and forced the paper to show him what she had seen. The white paper shimmered and he saw a blue identification badge. His picture was rotating in 3D in the upper left corner. Next to the picture were the words "Covert Auror Team". The identification listed him as only "The Doctor".

"Oh, C–A-T, I get it now," the Doctor muttered under his breath.

"Sir, Diagon Alley is crawling with Death Eaters. I have to report into the Ministry and tell them what is going on," Tonks told him. "Wait here, I'll be back with a robe for you in a few minutes so you won't look like such a Muggle," she said. Tonks shook her head in admiration for how deeply the CATs embedded themselves in Muggle society. Tonks dashed away to find a secured floo. She had to let her boss, Rufus Scrimgeour, know that not only had the Death Eaters stepped up their attacks on Muggles in broad daylight, but the Prime Minister had recalled one of his special team of Aurors back to London.

************Dr Who************

**London – 10 Downing Street**

Rufus Scrimgeour, the newly appointed head of the Ministry of Magics, walked down the hall to the Prime Minister's office. He fidgeted in his Muggle clothes and hated how they fit. Stopping in front of a mirror, Rufus straightened his tie and took a deep breath. A long look in his reflection made him accept the real reason he was uncomfortable. The tone of the weekly meetings he had with the head of the British government had changed over the last couple of months. It wasn't that the Sir John ever got cross or blamed Rufus; it was the fact that Rufus' reports became increasingly bleak every week. To add to his depressing report, Rufus had to discover why one of the Prime Minister's special team of Aurors was back in the magical community. The CATs were chosen as soon as they left their Wizarding school and went to work directly for the Prime Minister, bypassing the Ministry of Magic. Sighing, Rufus finished walking down the hall and knocked on the office door.

"Come in…come in," Sir John Major, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Brittan, said absently while he rifled through his desk. "Damn, where did I put that number?" he asked himself.

Rufus politely coughed to let Sir John know he was in the room. "Prime Minister Major, I…" he started to say.

Sir John looked up briefly from his search to stare at his Minister of Magic. "Rufus, how many times must I tell you, when we are alone, you may call John. Considering everything we have been through, I think we have earned a first name basis," he scolded. He went back to searching his desk.

"As you wish…John," Rufus said dryly. He let out a weary chuckle and sat down heavily in one of the Prime Minister's overstuffed chair. "Might I ask what you are looking for?" he inquired politely.

Sir John gave up with a huff and sat down. "I was looking for a phone number for one of our retired Brigadiers,' he said. "Blast! The one time I need to contact old Lethbridge-Stewart, I can't find his unlisted number," he sighed.

"Lethbridge-Stewart? Wasn't he the commander of UNIT for quite some time?" Rufus asked, surprised that Sir John would speak openly of one of the other secret organizations within their government.

Sir John looked closely at Rufus, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I'm surprised you've even heard of UNIT. Your circles of influence very rarely overlap," he said.

"When I was the Auror, I had some contact with them. Their liaison sent us some cases they said didn't fall within their bailiwick," Rufus said. "Once I knew of their existence, I made it a point to learn everything I could about them," he explained. Rufus gave Sir John a condescending look. "Seriously Prime Minister…_aliens?_" he asked in total disbelief.

Sir john laughed out loud at that kind of statement coming from a man charged with keeping the magical community separate from the rest of Great Brittan. "You have no idea," he said once he brought himself back under control. The way he said it sent chills down Rufus' spine. "Actually, Rufus, I was looking for the Brigadier's phone number to see if he would put me in contact with a man who might be willing to help us out in this magical civil war we have found ourselves in," he said. "No matter, I'll find it after this week's meeting," he promised himself.

When Sir John didn't go on, Rufus took it as his cue to begin his weekly briefing. "Like you suspected, the destruction of the Brockdale Bridge was indeed a work of the opposition. Some of our reports seem to indicate it was Voldemort himself who sent the curse into the bridge, killing all of those people," he said sadly.

"Bugger. For once I would like to hear some good news in these meetings," Sir John complained. He noticed the slight wince Rufus had in response to his words. "You're doing everything you can, I know that, Rufus. It just gets bloody depressing hearing bad news every week," he tried to assure his friend.

Rufus gave Sir John a weak smile of thanks. "Well, on a brighter note, the boy the prophecy spoke about made it back to Hogwarts in one piece again," he offered.

"I would definitely like to meet this Potter boy someday. He sounds like quite the exceptional individual. If everything you have told me about him is true, then he also surrounds himself with exemplary people," Sir John said. "I wish I had that capability when seating my cabinet," he joked. "Was there anything else I need to know about the war?" he asked.

Rufus shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Sir, there is _one_thing that I need to ask you about," he said hesitantly. Sir John motioned with his hand for Rufus to go on. "Were you aware that one of your CATs was spotted in Diagon Alley? I thought they were forbidden from interacting with the magical community once they took their posts," he said.

Sir John furrowed his brow in thought. He hadn't been aware of any of his agents coming back from the field recently. "Did you get a name by any chance?" he inquired.

"Only his codename. His identification badge listed him as 'The Doctor'," he replied. The Prime Minister's face looked like it might split in two from how large his grin became while he rocked back in his seat. Rufus decided to press on. "Considering he only has a codename, I take it that it is safe to assume he is one of the Black CATs?" he asked. The group within the Covert Auror Team that took on special ops missions outside of Great Brittan were referred to as the "Black Cats". They took on the cases no one else could handle or even wanted to know about. Their identities were so secret, all records of the existence were magically erased including having everyone they knew obliviated in regards to them.

"Bugger me," Sir John chortled. "Bastard's done it again. Always one step ahead of us," he said to himself. Rufus gave him a questioning look. Sir John thought about what to say. He remembered all of the briefings he had gone to in regards to the Doctor. He reflected on what had happened to all of the aliens that crossed the Doctor's path. He smiled and said, "Trust me when I tell you that the Doctor is indeed the blackest of cats."

"Is he back in Diagon Alley on a mission?" Rufus asked.

The Prime Minister shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows? Let's just say the Doctor is an…independent sort," he replied. Sir John became serious. "Rufus, it is of the utmost importance that you get the Doctor to Hogwarts. Once he sees what is going on, I'm sure he will decide to stay and help out. He never was one who could turn his back on children in danger," he said. Sir John motioned quickly with his hand towards the door. "Hurry, before he decides to go somewhere else. The Doctor never stays in one place for very long," he instructed.

Rufus stood up and gave a slight bow to his boss. "At once, Sir John," he said and hurried out of the room. Sir John leaned back in his chair, a smile on his face. It was the first time in months that he let himself hope the war with Voldemort could be won.


	3. Chapter 3

**Diagon Alley – The Leaky Cauldron**

Tonks paced restlessly in the private room she had procured to hide the Doctor while she waited for her boss, Rufus Scrimgeour, to get back with her about what to do with the CAT. She guessed that the Doctor could hold his own in a fight, but the streets of Diagon Alley were crawling with Death Eaters. Apparently, they took it as a grievous insult when the Doctor doused one of their own with ice cream and locked them in the shop. To add to her feelings of being wound up tighter than an Egyptian mummy, the Doctor had pulled out a red rubber ball from his jacket. He was laying on his back on the small bed and bouncing the ball off of the walls and catching it when it came back. Tonks noticed that he never hit the same place twice and often bounced the ball off of two or more walls. Each time, the ball came back to his outstretched hand.

Tonks was about to say something to the Doctor when she heard a knock at the door. "Miss Tonks," the young maid said timidly from the outside of the door.

"Come in, Sara," Tonks replied. The maid was a young woman barely out of school. It was well known that Sara had a soft spot in her heart for Muggles. She rarely left the Caldron since Voldemort had come back to power. She had been wearing a blue robe with a white apron tied around it when they had scampered into the tavern.

The door hesitantly opened and Sara poked her head in. She had her hand across her eyes, but was peeking through two slightly spread fingers. Her hand dropped to her side and warring emotions crossed her face. Tonks thought that she saw both relief and yet a slight bit of disappointment in the young woman's eyes. Sara caught Tonks staring at her and she blushed a deep crimson. "Sorry, Miss Tonks. Tom and I thought that you and that scrumptious gent were engaged in a nooner," she admitted. Tonks blushed as well, but her abilities as a metamprphmagus caused her face to turn a candy apple red.

Tonks choked a bit and regained control of her skin tone. "What gave you that idea?" she demanded. While the idea had its merits, she reminded herself that she was spoken for.

Sara pointed to the Doctor who was still bouncing his ball off the walls. "Sounds an awful lot like the headboard hitting the wall, Miss," she explained.

The Doctor caught the ball and then leaned his arm back. He thumped on the headboard, making it hit the wall. "You know…you're right. They do sound similar," he said in a chatty tone. With a flick of his wrist, the Doctor went back to experimenting with 4th dimensional calculus and a rubber ball. Both women stared at him, realizing that he hadn't made the same connection they had.

Sara shook her head and remembered why she had come up there in the first place (other than hoping to catch a glimpse of the cute guy in less than what he was wearing now.) "Mr. Scrimgeour is on the secure floo in the basement for you, Miss Tonks," she said.

"Thank you, Sara," Tonks said and pushed the maid out of the room as she made her way out of the room. She shut the door behind her and gave Sara a warning look. The maid smiled playfully at Tonks and made her way back to the taproom. Tonks chuckled at the maid's misconception and took the back stairs to the fireplace in the basement.

When Tonks got to the basement, the green, glowing face of Rufus Scrimgeour floated in the huge fireplace. "What took you so long, Auror Tonks?" he demanded.

"Sorry, Sir. Bit of a misunderstanding upstairs. I think we have it all cleared up for now," Tonks assured her boss.

Rufus nodded. "I spoke with the Prime Minister and he referred to this mysterious 'Doctor' as 'the blackest of CATs'," he told her, reinforcing what she had already assumed. "The PM is adamant that we convince the Doctor to go to Hogwarts and speak with Prof. Dumbledore," he said.

Tonks had a curious look on her face. "Why doesn't the PM just order him there himself?" she asked.

Rufus chuckled. "I asked the same thing. Majors would only say that this Doctor operated _very_ independently," he replied. "He assured me that getting the Doctor involved in the situation with the boy would be a tremendous help to us," he said.

Tonks gave a palm up salute, followed by her sticking out her tongue at him. "Will do, Sir," she promised. Rufus chuckled again at Tonks refusal to even salute like anyone else. His glowing image faded back into a green glowing cyclone and then disappeared completely.

Tonks returned to the room she had rented and found the Doctor had added in the ceiling to ever increasingly complex bounces. She smiled for a few moments at the cute, young man who looked like he was probably just a few years older than her. Finally, she mentally grabbed herself and gave a good shake. "_Here now, we'll have none of that. We're already dating a cute, dangerous guy. Besides, we're here to convince this bloke (OK - really cute bloke) to come with us to Hogwarts, not moon over him,"_ she told herself sternly. Tonks decided the direct approach was probably best with an Auror of his caliber. "Doctor, the Prime Minister has asked that you accompany me to Hogwarts," she said bluntly.

"Which one?" the Doctor asked, slightly confused. He tucked the red ball into his jacket pocket, that like the TARDIS, was larger on the inside. "And why Hogworts? I don't see what a small green plant with powerful laxative properties found in the Southern United States has anything to do with me," he added. "Um…perhaps I don't really want to know the answer to the second question. It would probably just be rude," he muttered. The Doctor did have a hint of a grin on his face when he remembered convincing Turlough to eat some after the red haired boy had irritated him once too often.

Tonks stood there, stunned like she'd been hit with a bludger. Her life up until that point left her with no idea how to respond to the Doctor's questions. Her hair changed color and turned a shade of green that her friends and family had come to equate with her being perplexed. "I have no clue as to what you're asking," she said truthfully.

The Doctor's mind had gone on to other things and looked like he had to forcefully drag himself back to the conversation. "Which Prime Minister?" he clarified.

"The…British…one," Tonks said hesitantly, hoping that was what he was asking.

"I assumed that part, but I guess I really should have asked that too," he admitted. "What I want to know is, which British Prime Minister?" he told her.

Tonks stared at the Doctor for a moment before answering. "_How long has he been abroad?_" she wondered. With a shrug, Tonks said, "John Major is the current PM."

The Doctor nodded in understanding. "Ooooh, that one," he said cryptically. "Still, why does he want me to go visit a plant?" he asked.

"I believe he meant the school, Hogwarts," Tonks tried to explain.

"You lot have a school named after a laxative?" The Doctor asked in shock. "That's awful," he said, making a disgusted face.

Tonks was beginning to feel that they were having two distinct and separate conversations. She arched an eyebrow. "You sound British. If you didn't go to Hogwarts, where did you receive your training?" she asked.

The Doctor paused before responding. He had a faraway look on his face. "I went to a place simply called 'The Academy'," he said. "I sincerely doubt you would have heard of it. It was a long, long way from here," he told her. Tonks noticed the use of the past tense, but decided now was not the time to ask about it.

"Doctor, please. My boss said that the PM told him it was very important that you speak with the Headmaster of the school," Tonks relayed. "He believes you might be of help in protecting the children from the Death Eaters," she said.

"Death Eaters?" the Doctor replied, trying to get a feel for the phrase. He decided he didn't like the sound of it one bit. Jerking his thumb in the direction of the ice cream parlor, he asked, "Those two we met earlier wouldn't happen to be Death Eaters, would they?"

Tonks nodded her head, happy that they seemed to be talking about the same thing finally. "Yes, those were Death Eaters and there are many more like them, some even worse," she said.

"Why didn't you say so in the first place?" the Doctor demanded. "Of course I'll help," he said enthusiastically. He remembered back to his friend Amy remarking about ancient aliens and not being able to turn away from Earth children crying. The Doctor shot off the bed, startling Tonks. He grabbed her hand and started leading her off to the TARDIS.

Tonks dug in her heels and stood firmly in place. "Doctor…" she said patiently while holding out a plain, secondhand, black robe. He looked at it quizzically. "Your Muggle clothes stand out. Put this on," she ordered. The Doctor sighed and took the robe. He put it over his shoulders, but the left the front open, showing his clothes under the robe. Tonks decided to pick her battles and let the odd fashion statement slide.

The Doctor winked at Tonks. "Look at me. I wear a robe now. Robes are cool," he said, running his hand down the front of the robe. The Doctor grabbed Tonks hand again and she let him lead the way.

When they finally reached the TARDIS, the Doctor let go of Tonks hand and got out his key. Tonks stared at the odd looking blue box. She had been down this street just an hour ago and she was certain it had not been there before. The Doctor opened the door and walked in, motioning with his hand for Tonks to follow. She did as she was instructed and saw that like a wizard tent, the inside of the box was much larger on the inside than the outside.

Tonks stopped on the entry catwalk and looked slowly around the large room. The odd pedestal with the glass tube running from floor to ceiling was the first thing that caught her attention. Several passageways led off in various directions up stairs or through doorways. The Doctor was looking at her as if he was waiting for something. "Nice," she offered. Apparently that wasn't what the Doctor was looking for and he turned to the center pedestal muttering something about no one ever being impressed by dimensional transcendence anymore. Tonks waited patiently as the Doctor did whatever he needed to do before they could apparate.

The Doctor looked up from the center console. "Where exactly is this school of yours?" he asked.

Tonks looked at the Doctor, concern in her eyes. "_What did they do to this guy if he can't even remember where the only all magical village in the UK is?_" she wondered. Tonks walked up the catwalk towards the Doctor. "It's in the midlands of Scotland, but we should probably go to Hogsmeade first. We don't want to alarm any of the creatures Hagrid has set up patrolling the school grounds," she suggested.

"Riiiight," the Doctor said slowly. "Never want to upset guard animals. Usually ends up costing me a new pair of trousers, or shoes, or both," he agreed. "I take it Hogsmeade isn't too far from the school?" he asked.

"The village is just South of the school," she assured him.

The Doctor turned towards the console and turned some knobs and hit a switch. A glowing blue map of Scotland appeared in mid-air in front of Tonks. "Can you point to where this village is?" he asked.

"Can you add topography? I never was very good with Muggle flat maps," Tonks admitted. The Doctor shrugged and spun a small wheel next to the knobs he had turned. The map shifted into a 3D rendering of Scotland, complete with waterways and roads. "There," Tonks said, pointing at the general area where the school and village were located. The map zoomed in, the rest of it flying past her. Every time she pointed, the details became ever sharper. Eventually she was able to make out the lake next to the school and individual buildings in Hogsmeade.

"_That's odd. I never noticed that place before. Almost like a perception filter is in place,_" the Doctor mused. He ran around the console, making the changes in the controls that would send them to Hogsmeade. The glass fixtures inside the crystal, center pillar of the Time Rotor began to rise and fall in time with the sounds of TARDIS flight.

Tonks looked worried at the odd "chains being dragged over gears" sound coming from the where the Doctor was standing. She waited for the noises to stop before she spoke to him. "Doctor, we have to hurry. Death Eaters are swarming up and down Diagon Alley looking for us," she said.

"They'll have a hard time finding us there," the Doctor said. He clapped his hands once, spun around, and hit the plunger that opened the doors. "…considering we're in that village you pointed out," he said smugly.

Tonks cautiously made her way out the front doors. She gasped when she stepped outside and saw the familiar sights of Hogsmeade. She looked over her shoulder at the still grinning Doctor with an even greater respect. Tonks was one of the more powerful Aurors in the Ministry and she could only take one person with her when she apparated. The Doctor had managed to not only take her, but the entire mass of his strange wizard tent across the country. She felt very confident that the PM had made a wise choice in sending this strange man to Hogwarts.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hogsmeade**

The Doctor smiled at Tonks' look of amazement at the short trip the TARDIS had taken. He briefly wondered how she would react to knowing the old girl had been to and actually through the end of the Universe. "All right, how to we get to this school of yours?" he asked.

Tonks pointed to the other side of the village. "We can either take a boat or a carriage," she replied. Her eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Even though the boats are usually reserved for first year students, we could probably make an allowance for you if you would like to travel by water rather than land," she offered.

The Doctor gave a cryptic grin to Tonks. " A carriage will be just fine, thank you. It's been a _very_ long time since I was a first year student," he said. "Besides, my experiences with the Titanics have left me a little nervous about traveling over water. You didn't name any of the boats 'Titanic' did you?" he asked, rambling. Before Tonks could answer, the Doctor muttered to himslef, completely lost in his thoughts. "Although, I'm not wearing that tuxedo. I wonder if that would make any difference?" he asked no one in particular.

Tonks opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't think of anything to say for a moment. She held up a finger to motion the Doctor to be quiet for a moment while she tried to process what he said. "_Prof. Dumbledore and the Doctor should get along famously. I haven't the foggiest idea what either of them are talking about half the time,_" she thought. "No boats, got it," she said. "That leaves the carriages," she told him, pointing the way.

As they walked through the village, Tonks kept stealing quick glances at the Doctor. He was looking at everything around him with interest, his head constantly in motion. She could tell that a part of it was him making tactical evaluations of his surroundings, but mostly his gaze just seemed to play over everything for curiosity's sake. Tonks decided to play tour guide for the strange CAT. "Over there is Scrivenshaft's, the quill shop, and next to it is Gladrags, a clothier shop," she pointed out. She kept up a running dialogue as they walked through the village, pointing out the various shops as they went.

Once they passed the shops, Tonks and the Doctor came to the Hogsmeade post office. The large building was painted grey like almost every other government building galaxy wide. Owls were busy flying in and out of the openings in the walls of the second floor. A group of boys standing just in front of the post office drew the Doctor's attention.

"They finally came!" one of the boys said enthusiastically. He tore open a package and started passing around a bag of candy. One the boys popped a morsel in his mouth and suddenly made a very sour face, like he had bitten into a lemon. He took a step back from the others and started sprouting large, yellow feathers. In a matter of seconds, he had transformed into a huge, yellow canary. The others boys howled with laughter and popped the tart, yellow candies in their own mouths. Soon, there were three ridiculously proportioned birds standing on the side of the street.

The Doctor watched curiously and pulled out his sonic screwdriver to take a reading. When Tonks saw him aim his "wand" at the boys, she rushed forwards and pushed his arm down. "Doctor, I'm not sure where you've been, but around here it is considered rude to pull out your wand and just starting pointing it at people!" she chastised him.

The Doctor gave Tonks an odd look and pocketed the screwdriver without taking a reading. He thought about what she had said and started chuckling softly. "You know… I said something very similar to my good friend Jack a while ago," he mused.

Tonks held up her hands, not wanting him to go any further with that particular story. "Come on, Doctor. We're not far from the carriages. They're just on the other side of the train station," she told him.

The Hogsmeade train station was bustling with people. The Doctor noted that once the train finally arrived, more people were getting on it to leave than there were getting off. All of the people, both coming and going, looked weary from having to be always on their toes. Tonks and the Doctor made their way through the crowd and eventually came upon the carriages. The Doctor gasped in delight and ran to the animals pulling the carriages. "Look at you, you gorgeous creature," he said to the four legged animal with the jet black coat. The animal was attached by reins to the carriage. The creature appeared to have the body of a very long legged horse with giant, black bat wings sprouting from its back. When the animal turned to face the Doctor, he noticed the head was almost reptilian in nature with a jaw structure that indicated a diet of mostly meat. The Doctor couldn't resist and reached out to pet the creature. With his left hand on the beast's muzzle, he gently stroked the long neck, earning him an approving, if somewhat sibilant, whiny from the creature.

A few people still waiting on their bags looked at the Doctor with sad understanding in their faces. The Doctor sensed he was being watched and turned around to look at the people, his right hand still on the creature's neck. "I've gone and done something remarkably stupid again, haven't I?" he asked Tonks.

Tonks wasn't the least bit surprised that the Doctor could see the animals. "Only someone who has seen death can see a thestral, Doctor," she explained. She motioned towards the people. "I'm willing to bet that lot over there has been lucky enough to only see you petting an invisible animal," she said sadly. Like the Doctor, she had no problem at all seeing the magnificent winged horses.

"Seen death?" the Doctor asked. He turned his face to the thestral and Tonks was barely able to make out him saying, "I ought to invite the bloke over for Sunday tea considering how often I've seen him." He paused in mid stroke on the animal's neck and suddenly turned to face Tonks. "I'm sorry, I must be having hearing problems in my old age. I could have sworn you said these were called 'thestrals'," he said.

Tonks nodded her head. "No, you heard me right. They are called thestrals," she confirmed.

The Doctor looked very confused and kept glancing from the animal to Tonks. "But that isn't possible. Thestrals are mythical creatures," he told her.

Tonks gave the Doctor an indulgent smile. "Magical, not mythical, Doctor. There is a difference. A mythical creature would be something like an honest politician," she said with a smirk.

"Magic?" the Doctor repeated. He froze in place while his memory ran backwards at an amazing speed. He mentally reviewed the images of the past day, pausing at certain scenes. The first scene he reviewed was the one where the boys turned into canaries. His memory flashed a little further back and he saw a spoon turning itself in a black, metal cauldron in one of the shop windows. Scenes fled past his inner eye and he replayed the fight in the ice cream parlor. In his mind, he heard the Death Eater shout "CONFRINGO" and Tonks shouting "EXPELLIARMUS" with the resulting actions caused by their words. The Doctor's smile returned with full force when he came back to the present. "Magic!" he exclaimed happily, clapping his hands once, and then rubbing them in anticipation. The Doctor knew that magic was still possible in the Universe. To his knowledge, the vast majority of it had been banished near the dawn of Time by his own people, but some remnants had held over. He had been forced to deal with Morgraine trying to reawaken the land with magic and werewolf blood. Not to mention that whole business with the water elemental in New Orleans. Except for isolated incidents like those, pretty much the only magic left in the Universe was what he referred to as "word science", the shaping of energy through sound and intent. What really confused him was the fact that except for William Shakespeare, no human had ever had the ability to control word science and even the wordsmith had a little bit of help from the Carrionites. The Doctor jumped into the carriage, excited about the prospect of learning something new. "Come along, Tonks. Why are you dawdling?" he inquired. Tonks shook her head and climbed in after the Doctor.

The Doctor kept sticking his head out of the window to gawk at the thestral pulling their carriage up the path to the castle. He pulled his head back into the carriage and sat back down, if only for a brief moment. His boundless energy had him hopping from one window to the next to see all of the gorgeous scenery. He wasn't ready to discuss the other reason for why he was so intrigued with this "magic" of theirs. The creature pulling their carriage was definitely not supposed to be there, magical or not. Thestrals weren't creatures out of Earth legends, they were creatures from Gallifreyan mythology.

************Dr Who************

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

Hermione walked through the courtyard of the school in a huff. She had gone to watch Ron and Harry practice Quiditch, but left before they started. Once again, she had witnessed Ron and Luna snogging. Hermione was forced to ask herself what she saw in the ginger boy and if it was worth it to try become more than friends with him.

Commotion on the other side of the courtyard drew Hermione's attention. She could see a small group of Slytherin led by Draco Malfoy surround her friend Neville. She ran to help Neville, but was cut off by a carriage pulling into the school. Hermione sighed loudly in frustration and changed course to go around the carriage. When she was even with the back of the carriage, she saw the doors fly open and a man with light brown hair and an old robe open at the front jump out. Hermione thought the man might be a few years older than her friend Tonks. Hermione passed the carriage and made her way to Neville who was being pushed from Slytherin to Slytherin. The newcomer had a sizeable lead on her and reached Neville first.

"No one here to save you now, Longbottom. No Potter…no stupid Weasley…and no filthy mudblood here to protect you," Draco sneered. "Just like there was no one there to save your parents while they begged for mercy," he taunted. Neville ground his teeth in rage and threw a clumsy punch at his Slytherin tormenter. Draco easily pushed the punch aside and used Neville's unbalanced stance and momentum to throw him to the ground. After Neville hit the ground hard, he turned his head to glare at Draco, tears in his eyes. His humiliation was complete when Prof. Snape pushed Crabbe and Goyle out of his way.

"What is the meaning of this, Longbottom?" Snape demanded. "You should be expelled for such acts of wanton violence," he sneered. Snape was about to say something else when he was interrupted by a man wearing Muggle clothes under a secondhand robe.

"I think you might have it backwards," the Doctor said warmly. "From where I was standing, I clearly saw these boys shoving this poor lad. It's understandable that he tried to defend himself," he said, defending Neville. "Of course, I don't condone violence, but sometimes your hand is forced," he said sadly.

Snape glared at the Doctor. "Whoever you are, you have no right to interfere with either the students or faculty of this school," he spat.

The Doctor looked genuinely surprised. "Sorry about that. Sometimes I forgot things like social customs. I'm the Doctor," he said, holding out his hand. Snape refused to shake it and the Doctor slowly put his hand back down to his side.

Snape spared a condescending glance at Neville. "50 points from Gryffindor for wanton violation of the school's no fighting policy," he said loudly. A cruel smile played over Snape's face. "And another 5 points for being so obviously clumsy, Mr. Longbottom," he added, showing that he had also seen what really happened.

The Doctor had no idea what the point system was for, but he knew injustice when he saw it. He took a purposeful stride forward and stood nose to nose with Snape. "I don't know who _you_ are, but I think it's fair to warn you that one of the things I despise most in the Universe is a bully," he said, looking directly into Snape's eyes. "They're right up there with an uncomfortable pair of socks. Trust me, scratchy foot coverings can really ruin a day," he told the group.

Snape used the opportunity of the Doctor looking him in the eyes to use his skills as one of the foremost practitioners of Legilimency in Europe. Snape sent his thoughts out to force his way into the Doctor's mind. After less than a second, Snape took an involuntary step backwards and grabbed his temples in pain. The pain forced the head of Slytherin to go down onto one knee to keep from falling over. He looked up at the Doctor, fear evident in his eyes.

The Doctor stuck out the index finger of his right hand and tapped Snape gently above the bridge of his nose, releasing him from the pain. "That was the only warning you will ever get from me," he said ominously. "I don't appreciate people trying to poke around in my head uninvited," he warned, tapping his right temple. "For starters, it's just plain rude, not to mention how extremely dangerous it is for anyone foolhardy enough to try to get in. Way too much up there. It would wash over you and destroy your sense of self," he explained.

Snape looked around and saw all of the students around him staring with their mouths open. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?" he snarled. The boys with the green ties took the hint and scampered off. Snape rose, swaying slightly. As soon as the courtyard stopped spinning, he shouldered past the Doctor with a flourish of his robe.

As Snape left, the Doctor offered his hand to Neville to help him up. After he helped the boy to his feet, the Doctor put a hand on either side of Neville's face. He turned the boy's head from side to side and looked up his nostrils. "No permanent damage," he said and let go of Neville's face.

"Th-thank yo-you," Neville stuttered.

The Doctor brushed some dirt off of Neville's robes. "You really should have stood up for yourself from the beginning," he said. Reading the boy's face, the Doctor quickly added, "I'm not suggesting you should have popped that blonde kid in the nose right off the start, mind you. Just the opposite." The Doctor again tapped the side of his head. "You need to outsmart those who want to impose their will on you and use their own aggression against them," he said wisely. "There are very, very few times when violence is the only answer. Look at me. I've got more enemies than you can possibly imagine and I refuse to carry a weapon," he said proudly. The Doctor's smile was infectious and Neville returned it. "Now that's the face of a boy who won't allow himself to be bullied anymore," he told his new friend. The Doctor jerked his head to the side. "Go on, you probably have classes or something to get to," he offered giving Neville an excuse to leave and get a hold of himself once more.

"Thank you, again…Doctor," Neville said with much more confidence than he had earlier. He jogged off to the castle to tell his friends what had happened.

Hermione couldn't help the smile that snuck up on her. The only other person she had seen who had such a great combination of courage and kindness was Harry and she would follow him to the very gates of hell. Her smile got a little wider as she realized that the newcomer was just as handsome as Harry. They even shared a tendency to have unkempt hair. All thoughts of Ron were cast away as she thought, "_Now if he is into books as well as being kind and brave, I might just have to marry this man._"


	5. Chapter 5

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

Tonks just stood in the doorway to the carriage as the Doctor confronted Prof. Snape, shocked at what she was seeing. She was too far away to hear what was said, but Snape's reaction and facial expressions when he stormed off told her all that she needed to know. Watching the Doctor take care of a couple of Death Eaters had been impressive. Seeing him make Snape back down and look like he had his wand shoved somewhere it shouldn't go was simply amazing. She looked off to her right and saw Hermione looking at the Doctor with a grin on her face. Tonks glanced back at the Doctor and a grin of her own crept up on her. Even though Hermione had never told anyone, Tonks knew that her friend had a thing for Ron Weasley. She thought Ron was a nice enough bloke, but Tonks knew in her heart that her distant cousin was far too flakey for the young witch. "_This Doctor fellow might be just what 'Mione needs to show her what a real man is like. He can't be more than 10 years older than her. My parents are happily married and they're 12 years apart,_" she told herself. She hopped out of the carriage and made a bee line to Hermione.

Hermione saw Tonks get out of the carriage and head in her direction. She waved at the now purple haired Auror. "Tonks!" she exclaimed loudly as she hugged her friend. "What brings you to Hogwarts?" she asked. "I thought you were assigned to Diagon Alley," she said.

"Hello yourself, 'Mione. I still am," Tonks replied. "Minister Scrimgeour pulled me off for a bit so I could escort the Doctor to Hogwarts," she said, indicating the newcomer with a jerk of her head.

Hermione looked over at the Doctor who was on his hands and knees studying a flower next to the outer wall of the castle. He broke off a leaf, popped it in his mouth, and spit it out, an odd look on his face. "Who is he, and why would Scrimgeour need you to escort him?" she asked.

Tonks shook her head at the Doctor's antics, before looking back at Hermione. "He calls himself the Doctor and pretty much everything else about him is a mystery," she explained. "As for me being assigned to escort duty…" she said, pausing to lean over tand whisper in Hermione's ear. "Definitely not a hardship posting considering how cute he is," she told her.

Hermione blushed because she had been thinking pretty much along the same lines. She playfully hit Tonks' arm. "Tonks, you're spoken for," she reminded her friend.

Tonks made an exaggeratedly disappointed face, literally. Her face drooped an extra two inches beyound what a normal face could do. "I suppose I am, aren't I?" she asked and made her face look normal again. She again leaned in to whisper to Hermione. "Lucky for you, you're not," she said suggestively.

"TONKS!" Hermione said, embarrassed, her eyes going wide. She got herself back under control and tried to glare at her friend, but her heart wasn't in it. "You're a bad influence on the students here, you know that, right?" she asked.

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Tonks said smugly. She put her arm through Hermione's. "Come on, I'll introduce you to the handsome Doctor," she said, pulling Hermione along with her.

The Doctor looked up from his sampling of the local flora to see Tonks pulling along a pretty, young woman dressed as one of the students. The first thing he noticed about her was the intelligence flashing behind her beautiful, brown eyes. The afternoon sun was glinting off of her light brown, frizzy hair. Her dark eyebrows contrasted well with her pale skin. He smoothed out his tweed jacket under his robe and straightened his bow tie.

"Doctor, there's someone I would like you to meet," Tonks said once she got close to the Doctor. "Doctor, this is my friend, Hermione Granger. She's a 6th year student here at Hogwarts," Tonks informed him.

The Doctor stuck out his hand to shake Hermione's. Unlike Prof. Snape, Hermione gladly shook his hand. "6th year, huh? Oh, so you've just barely started then," he surmised wrongly.

Hermione scrunched up her face in confusion. "I've only got one more year after this," she corrected him.

The Doctor rocked back on his heels for moment and ran his hand through his hair. "Riiiight, I keep forgetting how short the schools are here," he muttered. "Any way, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," he said, leaning forward again, flashing a charming smile.

Tonks moved onto the next phase of her plan. "Hermione, I need to take care of. . . some business. Would you be a dear and show the Doctor to the Headmaster's office?" she asked. She turned her head so the Doctor couldn't see her mouth and whispered to Hermione, "Take the long route." She flinched as Hermione kicked her shin. Tonks only gave her a wicked grin and patted her on the arm. "Thanks, 'Mione. You're a real life saver. Quite literally, Doctor. She's saved her friends' lives on more than one occasion," she bragged. Tonks grabbed Hermione's hand and put it under the Doctor's arm. "See you around, Doctor," she said and hurried off to the castle.

Hermione shyly pulled her hand away. The Doctor took a step back and bowed with arms wide open. "Lead on, Miss Granger. I am in your hands," he told her.

Hermione turned around quickly, biting her lower lip and blushing slightly. She didn't want to entertain thoughts about him "in her hands" at that very moment if she wanted the redness in her cheeks to fade. "_Besides, he's much too old for me. He has to be at least 25 or 26,_" she chided herself. "This way, Doctor," she said, motioning with her hand for him to follow her. Even though she was having an internal battle over what to think of this cute guy, she decided to follow Tonks' advice and led the Doctor to a different door than the one the Auror had taken.

**********DrW**********

Prof. Albus Dumbledore was finishing a rather interesting history text when the his new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher stormed into his office. Dumbledore reverently placed the book on a pile of similar ones which sat on the corner of his enormous, claw footed desk. "Serevus, to what do I owe the honor?" he asked politely.

Snape shot his boss a withering glance and threw open the cabinet door where he knew the Headmaster kept a bottle of vintage firewhiskey. Snape grabbed only one glass and filled it to the top with the expensive liquor. He drained the glass in one long swallow. Dumledore decided to wait until Snape was ready to talk to find out what had disturbed his old pupil so much. Snape put the glass back in the cabinet and it vanished to be replaced by a clean one, the dirty one appearing in a stack of dishes in the kitchen. He shut the cabinet door loudly and flung himself into one of the Headmaster's overstuffed, high back chairs.

Eventually, Snape looked up at Dumbledore. "Think long and hard before you ever ask me to pry into another person's head for the sake of the Order," he warned, exhausted from his mental ordeal with the Doctor. Dumbledore looked at his friend and waited for him to continue. "As you well know, there is no one alive that is better at Occlumency than I am," he boasted. "After today, I will have to move myself down to second best. The Doctor not only had the most impressive mental shields that I have ever encountered, but he was also able to set a feedback trap that nearly blinded me with pain. Something I've never seen before," he said, obviously unnerved.

"So, you were unable to get any readings from this man?" Dumbledore asked, concerned.

Snape scoffed at Dumbledore. "Who do you think I am? Some bumbling 6th year student?" he asked haughtily. "Of course I was able to scan the man. No matter how good a person's shields are, they still take a moment to come up. A skilled Legilimencer can get at least a feeling of the person he is dealing with in that brief moment," he lectured.

Dumbledore smiled at Snape. "So, what type of man are we dealing with here?" he inquired.

Snape paused before answering. "We're not," he said softly.

"Pardon me? We're not what?" Dumbledore asked, confusion obvious in his furrowed, bushy eyebrows.

Snape looked directly into Dumbledore's face and the look gave the Headmaster the chills. "We're not dealing with a man," he said softly. "When I made contact with his mind I was able to get a brief impression. The mind I touched is in no way human," he explained slowly. Snape watched his boss' face for any kind of reaction. He wasn't expecting a look of delight to twinkle in the old man's eyes. Snape pressed on. "If that...what ever it is...is a an Auror in Her Majesties Service, then I'll wear a Gryffindor tie for the rest of the term," he wagered.

A small blue gem near the rear of Dumbledore's desk sat up on its point all by itself and started spinning rapidly. Dumbledore had placed a spell on the gem to do just that whenever someone seeking to speak with him was approaching his office. He had used it several times to facilitate a rapid retreat down his back staircase when he didn't want to talk with a particular teacher or parent. Peering into the gem, Dumbledore saw Tonks waiting by the gargoyle next to the entrance to his office. Hermione and an oddly dressed, young man were walking down the hall towards Tonks. "It would appear I am to have my audience with the Doctor shortly," he pointed out. He looked back up at Snape. "That will be all, Prof. Snape," he said, dismissing the DADA teacher. Once Snape got up, Dumbledore stopped him with a wave of his withered hand. "Thank you again, Severus. I honestly don't know what I would do without you," he said sincerely. Snape looked embarrassed by the showing of gratitude and turned to leave. When Snape's hand was on the knob of the large wood door leading out of the office, Dumbledore called out. "Tell Miss Granger and Miss Tonks that I wish to speak with the Doctor alone," he instructed. Snape nodded once and left the room.

**********DrW**********

Tonks winked at Hermione as she and the Doctor walked down the hall to Dumbledore's office. Hermione ignored the wink and stopped just short of the stone gargoyle leading up to the Headmaster's office. The gargoyle leapt out of the way, startling the Doctor. Snape stood in the entryway looking cross as usual.

"Headmaster Dumbledore will see you now," he told the Doctor. Tonks and Hermione started to follow the Doctor, but Snape put a hand on Tonks' shoulder, blocking her way. "Not you two, only … him," he said jerking his head towards the Doctor. The Doctor shrugged his shoulders and made his way through the entry chamber towards the spiral staircase. Once the wall sealed itself again, Snape sneered at the two young women. He turned his back on Tonks and glared at Hermione. "It's a pity that the Doctor seems to have already fallen in with the wrong crowd," he snarled.

Hermione was having a very difficult time keeping a straight face as Snape insulted her. As soon as he had turned to face her, Tonks had shifted her form to look like the potions teacher. While he was talking, Tonks was making a silly face, complete with crossed eyes. She bobbed her head side to side while mimicking what he was saying. Snape noticed that Hermione kept looking over his shoulder at Tonks. He spun around, only to find the pink haired Auror chewing her gum noisily, resting against the wall. Her features looked like the ones she normally wore. "What?" Tonks demanded innocently. With a huff, Snape turned back to face Hermione and then stalked down the hallway towards one of the staircases leading down.

When Snape was out of earshot, Hermione let out the breath she was holding to keep herself from laughing. "Don't let Ron or Harry see you do that," she warned. "If they do, they'll make you do it at every Christmas party at the Barrow," she said.

Tonks laughed. "Too late. It was at the last Christmas party that Fred and George asked me to try it," she admitted. "Harry was the one who suggested I cross my eyes and Ron was the one who told me I should move my head from side to side," she admitted. Tonks sobered up and looked down the hall in both directions to make sure they were alone. "So, what did you think about the handsome Doctor?" she pried, grabbing Hermione's arm.

Hermione sighed loudly. "Honestly, Tonks. He's much too old for me. He's probably nearing 30 or so," she said. In truth, Hermione thought he was only about 25, but Tonks didn't need to know that.

Tonks gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "Oh pooh. He's barely older than I am," she said. "My dad is 12 years older than my mum and they have a wonderful relationship. Too wonderful at times, if you ask me," she told her. Tonks read the expression on Hermione's face and added, "The wall between their room and mine is sorta thin," she explained.

Hermione held up her hands to stop Tonks. "Eeeeew!" she squealed. Tonks laughed again, squinting her eyes in merriment. Hermione looked at the wall where the Doctor had gone through. "Besides, its a moot point. What would someone like that ever see in a frizzy haired bookworm like me," she sighed.

Tonks looked sadly at Hermione. She knew that there was way more to Hermione than the young witch was willing to believe. Deciding to change the subject, Tonks put her hand on Hermione's arm and led her to the staircases. "I'm staying for dinner. Of course I will have to sit at the Hufflepuff table, but I'll choose a seat behind you so you can fill me in on all of the juicy gossip," she said.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione allowed herself to be led away. She glanced back over her shoulder once. "He was pretty cute... for an old guy," she said, baiting Tonks.

"Old? What does that make me then?" Tonks demanded, pretending to look hurt.

Hermione scrunched up her shoulders. "Well...you do look about the same age, so..." she said, holding out her hands. Tonks shoved her playfully.

"You'll pay for that Miss Granger. Maybe not tonight, or the next night, but trust me, you'll pay," Tonks threatened. The young women laughed, sharing in one of the few opportunities to do so since the start of the magical civil war that threatened to destroy Great Brittan.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardy**

Prof. Dumbledore drummed the fingers of his good hand on the edge of his large desk. He'd been waiting on the Doctor to make the very short journey from the entry alcove to the door of his office and was about to go check on the Doctor when the heavy wooden door to his office flew open.

The Doctor stood in the entry way, beaming like a child as he looked back over his shoulder. "Sorry that took me so long. I was having so much fun on your staircase that I rode it three times," he admitted. Pointing a finger at Dumbledore, the Doctor asked, "Did you build that thing?"

"I came up with idea, but a Goblin craftsman did all of the hard work," Dumbledore replied modestly.

The Doctor still look slightly impressed. It wasn't everyday that a human could comprehend a 5th dimensional mobius strip, let alone devise a use for it as a stairway. Granted, it was something Gallifreyan children did as an exercise during their second year of school, but it was still impressive.

Dumbledore stood and made his way around the desk to greet the Doctor. "My name is Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardy," he offered, introducing himself rather than tackling such a history-heavy subject just yet. He did not offer his withered, blackened hand to shake, instead holding out his left. The Doctor obliged and shook with his left as well.

"Hello, Albus, I'm the Doctor. Pleasure to meet you," the Doctor replied. He looked around the room and out the windows lining the tower. "Beautiful school you have here," he said.

Dumbledore gave the Doctor a short bow. "Thank you, Doctor. I'm very glad you think so," he replied. He took in a deep breath, gathering his energy fro lay ahead. "Before we go any farther, I need to make sure you are who you say you are," he said formally. "May I see your identification papers, please?" he asked.

The Doctor pulled out his psychic paper and presented it to the Headmaster. "Covert Auror Team member, code name, The Doctor," he tried, doing his best to look official. In truth, the Doctor had no idea how an Auror should act-or even what they were, for that matter.

Dumbledore let out a relieved sigh when he looked at the psychic paper. "You have no idea how relieved I am to see that," he said.

The Doctor moved his head to the side in a cocky gesture. He put the paper back in his jacket pocket. _Vortex, I'm good,_he told himself.

"I was worried that I might have actually seen an ID card, rather than a piece of blank paper. I guess I still have my vanities, I suppose," Dumbledore admitted.

"Wait. . . what?" the Doctor exclaimed. He pulled the psychic paper back out and willed it to show him what the Headmaster had seen. The paper stayed a blank white. "Look. . . I can explain things. I was minding my own business, having some ice cream when I met the young Tonks. . ." he stammered.

Dumbledore ignored the Doctor's statement, going on like nothing was amiss. He walked over to where the Sorting Hat sat on a shelf, dusting off its delicate leather brim. "There is one other test I would like for you to perform to verify who you are," he said solemly. After picking up the old, battered hat, Dumbledore motioned for the Doctor to sit in the chair facing the desk. He handed the hat to the Doctor and went around the desk to take his seat.

The Doctor held it in his hands, turning it from side to side. "The hat is quite safe, I assure you, Doctor," Dumbledore said. "We use it to sort the first year students into the four school houses - Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin," he explained. "I am very interested in which house the hat thinks you would best fit in if you were a student here," he said.

"I suppose it's just an old, pointy hat. What could possibly happen?" the Doctor asked, sitting down and placing it on his head. The instant he did, the hat came to life, speaking through a tear just above the brim.

"Boo," the Sorting Hat said, and then chuckled as the Doctor flinched and tried to pull the hat off.

No matter how hard the Doctor tried, he was unable to pull off the hat. "Oh great, a bloody Moob! I should have known!" the Doctor swore.

**_{Yes, you should have, old friend,}_** the hat said inside of the Doctor's mind. The Doctor relaxed when the Moob spoke to him rather than try to take over his mind. {**_Oh wait. . . from the looks of things in this mess you call memories I guess we haven't met yet from your perspective. You Time travelers, always making things so difficult,_**} it said fondly. The Doctor missed the use of the plural in speaking about Time travelers. He relaxed even more when the hat said, {_**Don't worry, Doctor. I'm not like my brothers. I have no intention of takimg over anybody and am perfectly happy living off of the residual energy the children leave me,**_} it told him. {**_Now then: where would I have put you if you were one of the students? It seems very strange to have to explain this to you since you came up with the idea in the first place, but here is the brief version,_**} its voice echoed in the Doctor's mind. {**_Each of the four founders, from which the houses take their names, valued one attribute above all others. For Gryffindor it was bravery, Hufflepuff believed in hard work, Ravenclaw valued cunning, and Slytherin thought that ambition was the key to happiness_**,} it explained.

The hat thought for a moment as it examined the Doctor's memories. {**_When you were much younger, ambition guided your life. An ambition to do things your own way, and damn the rules_**,} it pointed out. {**_You have worked tirelessly for near a millennium to help those in need, and your cunning is known throughout the Universe_**,} it added. {**_But what sets you apart from all others is your bravery. A lone warrior standing in the path of darkness. You are a man brave enough to shoulder the guilt of killing his own kind in order to save the rest of existence. A man who will someday be brave enough to open his heart to another woman and love again,_**} it said.

The Sorting Hat looked up at Dumbledore and shouted, "Gryffindor!" The tear in the brim almost looked smug for a moment. "And yes, Proffesor, it is him," it announced and then went back into hibernation.

The Doctor took the Sorting Hat off and put it on the desk. He ran his hand through his hair, giving himself time to think and to make sure the Moob hadn't pooped on him. Dumbledore waited until he caught the Doctor's eyes and motioned to the stack of books on his desk. The Doctor craned his neck sideways to read the titles on their spines, picking them up and looking at the perfectly preserved tomes, one by one. The first book was an early history entitled "The Last Days of Pompeii - an eye witness account". The next book was a text dealing with translating Egyptian hieroglyphs from the second dynasty. A hieroglyph that looked suspiciously like the TARDIS could be seen in the lower left corner of the cover. The third tome was a leather bound collection of essays discussing the duality of Quetzalcoatl as both a feathered serpent and a pale skinned man. The final three books were the personal diaries of Madam de Pompadour, Queen Elizabeth I, and Marilyn Monroe. He blushed slightly at the thought of what might be in those diaries. "Look, I can explain these things," he began, gesturing at the books. He pushed the diaries to the side, a slight grin surfacing on his lips. "OK. . . I can explain _most_of these things," he said.

Dumbledore stood up again from his desk and bowed deeply. "Welcome home, Merlin," he whispered reverently.

The Doctor shot up from his his seat and ran to hide behind the high backed chair, peaking around the side of the chair and looking accusingly at Dumbledore. "Are you a groupie?" he asked suspiciously.

Dumbledore laughed long and hard at the Doctor's question, causing the Doctor to relax a little. "Hardly, Merlin, or do prefer to use the title of Doctor?" he asked. "To the wizarding world, you are known as Merlin, but everywhere else you seem to have used 'the Doctor'," he pointed out. "Or would you have me use your alias, John Smith?" he asked.

"Doctor wold be just fine, thank you," the Doctor said, nervous about how much this man seemed to know about him.

Prof. Dumbledore again motioned for the Doctor to take a seat. The Doctor obliged, but looked like he was ready to bolt at any moment. "I suppose the best way to explain this is to start at the beginning," Dumbledore said. "When I was much younger, I fought a good friend of mine in order to protect some Muggles. Because I displayed exemplary wizarding skills in the defense of Muggles, I was awarded the Order of Merlin," he told the Doctor. "Once I received the award, I began thinking about the name of the award. Usually an Order is a group of people devoted to the same cause. I started researching the Order of Merlin and discovered that they had in fact been a secret society dedicated to upholding the beliefs of Merlin and offering him assistance whenever he needed it," he explained. "I thought this was odd, considering that at the time I thought Merlin was dead, until I became friends with the head of the real Order of Merlin, Nicolas Flamel. He said he had been watching me and wanted me to join their brotherhood. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance," he said.

"You're telling me there are more of you running around?" the Doctor demanded. "I knew it, groupies," he said.

Dumbledore ignored the Doctor and continued with his story. "Nico showed me that there had actually been more than one Merlin in Arthur's court. One of them was a shape changer who showed up every so often to help keep the King on the straight and narrow," he said. "Nico went on to explain that there had been confirmed sightings of Merlin throughout time, long before he should have been born and long after he supposedly died," he went on. Dumbledore picked up the book about Pompeii and Marilyn's diary to drive his point home. He chuckled a bit before continuing. "It wasn't until I spent a night drinking in a Muggle pub with a rather odd man back in 1947 that I learned there was much more to Merlin than I ever dreamed," he said.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Let me guess. Tall, dark hair, American accent and has a fondness for long coats," the Doctor offered.

The Headmaster grinned from ear to ear. "Yes, that would be him," he confirmed.

"Jack," the Doctor muttered, shaking his head. "What all did he tell you?" he asked, not sure he wanted to know.

"He told me you were the last of your kind and had devoted yourself to protecting the human race," Dumbledore replied. "He misses you, by the way," he told the Doctor softly.

The Doctor perked up and grinned at Dumbledore, remembering how Jack had found him again and how brave he and Martha had been during the year that never was. "Don't worry. I will/have already caught up with him about 10 or so years from now," he said.

Dumbledore frowned while he tried to muddle through the last sentence structure. "Doctor, Jack told me that you could never turn your back when children were concerned," Dumbledore said. "I'm begging you to stay and help protect the children of this school from the Death Eaters," he implored. "If they win, people like the young Miss Granger will be in grave danger," he added, hoping to tip the scales.

The Doctor rose from his chair. He hated being manipulated by people using threats of violence against his friends. The fact that he had only just met Hermione didn't make her any less of a friend. "I'll give you my answer in the morning," the Doctor said, turning to leave.

"That is all I ask, Doctor," Dumbledore said. "We have several guest suites in the castle that are at your disposal, and I would be greatly honored if you sat with me at the head table for dinner tonight," he offered.

The Doctor was walking away, deep in thought. He waved his hand over his shoulder. "Yes, yes, dinner. . . whatever," he murmered, distracted by his thoughts. The Doctor shut the door behind him and made his way downstairs to find a place to think.

Dumbledore sighed, hoping that Jack had been right and the Doctor would decide to help. They could use whatever help they could get. He glanced at the parchments on his desk waiting to be reviewed and signed. Deciding to ignore them for another day, he cracked open the Queen's diary and read a rather torrid section involving the Doctor. He had almost gotten to the really good part when the Floo chimed, letting him know someone wanted to speak with him over a secure connection. Dumbledore hurried over to the Floo and spoke the proper passwords, "Super Sour Straws."

The face of Rufus Scrimgeour floated in the fireplace. "I wish I knew whose bonnet you put a bee into, Albus,"the Minister of Magic said. "I just spoke with the Prime Minister and he has decided to send another of his black CATs to Hogwarts," he told him worriedly. "What does he know that I don't? Have you been speaking with him directly?" he demanded.

Dumbledore shrugged, trying to look innocent. "Honestly, Rufus, I have no idea why the PM suddenly decided to send us his special Aurors," he said, knowing that the Doctor was nothing of the sort.

Scrimgeor frowned. He wasn't used to being kept in the dark. "The PM even went so far as to refuse to tell me who the Auror is that he is sending. He only said that _she_will be arriving at Hogwarts sometime tomorrow," he said sourly.

**********DrW**********

Harry sat down at the table between Ron and Hermione. He spared a glance towards Neville, who was telling Ginny about what had happened earlier in the courtyard. Harry turned to stare at the Slytherin table, hatred burning in his eyes. If it hadn't been for some mysterious man called the Doctor, Draco and his cronies might have seriously hurt Neville this time. He vowed to double his tutoring time with Neville and help him to learn how to defend himself. Harry was staring with such intensity that he failed to notice Tonks standing behind him. A painful flick of his left ear caused him to spin around, ready for a fight.

Tonks reached past Harry as he spun around and grabbed a deviled egg off of his plate. "You won't be needing that. Seekers should stay nice and thin," she told him mischeivously and popped the morsel in her mouth.

"Tonks!" Harry yelled happily, jumping up from the table. He threw his arms around his friend and gave her a huge hug. Tonks had been there for him when he needed to a shoulder to cry on after the death of his godfather, Sirius Black.

"How have been, twerp?" Tonks asked, even though Harry was a couple of inches taller than her now. Harry motioned for the others to make room at the table, ignoring house customs. Tonks looked over at Prof. Sprout, who nodded her head, giving the young Auror permission to sit at another table. Tonks squeezed in between Harry and Hermione.

"So, Nymphodora, they finally realized they made a mistake on your OWLs and sent you back for more training?" Ron teased. Tonks made her arm twice as long as normal and flicked a pile of mashed potatoes from Ron's plate onto his face.

"That's a good look for you cuz," Tonks said. "Keep it on and maybe you might finally get a good snog. Granted, it will be from Fang, but beggars can't be choosers," she taunted playfully.

Hermione urgently whispered in Tonks ear and she turned candy apple red again, with a hint of deep plum. She looked over at the Ravenclaw table and saw Luna was staring off into space as usual. "Sorry, Ron, I didn't realize that you had actually managed to get a girlfriend," she said while trying to get her skin tone back to normal.

"Apology accepted, I think," Ron said hesitantly. "But for being mean to me, I'm going to ask Mum to give me your slice of pie the next time you eat at the Barrow," he threatened.

Tonks pretended to think about things for a moment and then changed her face to look just like Ron's. "No problem," she said, changing her face back to normal. Everyone, including Ron, laughed. They all chatted about nothing in particular while they ate, their conversation ending when the room became silent. Students and teachers alike had stopped talking out of respect as Headmaster Dumbledore walked in. The Doctor followed him into the room and all eyes were on him.

When they reached the head table, Prof. Dumbledore motioned for the Doctor to sit, while he remained standing. "My dear friends," Dumbledore said, looking around the room. "We have a guest with us tonight," he told the students. The Doctor gave a half-hearted wave.

Ron noticed how meek the Doctor looked, mistaking his cautious behaviour for weakness. "Oh great, another Quirrell," he moaned.

Neville shook his head emphatically. "No, that's the guy who stood up to Snape and the Slytherins for me," he told his friend.

Ron took a closer look at the head table and saw how Snape was staring at the new comer with undisguised animosity. "Then again, maybe the bloke's all right after all," he amended.

"Please show our guest every bit of courtesy while he is with us," Dumbledore asked, glancing at Snape for just the briefest of moments. "Like us, he is no friend of Voldemort, the Dark Lord," he told them.

Hermione had been watching the Doctor while Dumbledore was speaking. He might be too old for her, but that didn't keep her from admiring the goods in the candy shop window. When Dumbledore mentioned Voldemort, almost everyone involuntarily flinched in fear. The Doctor had looked up from his plate in shock. He threw his napkin onto his plate and stormed out of the room. Hermione furrowed her brows in concern when she noticed that the Doctor had a sad, almost ashamed look on his face as he left the Great Hall.

Dumbledore watched the Doctor leave, afraid he may have pushed things too far, too soon. "Um. . . thank you everyone, and enjoy your meal," he said hastily and sat back down. Conversation exploded like wildfire around the tables.

Hermione excused herself from the table and went to see if the Doctor was alright. She found him in the entryway to the school, manically pacing back and forth, talking to himself while running shaky hands through his hair. From where she was standing, she could see the look of shame etched on his face and hear every word he said.

"No. . . no. . . no! It can't be him, not again!" he raged softly. "It has to be a coincidence. There has to be some other explanation!" he fumed. "Really big Universe-must be a high chance that two people could use the same name. All right, two really bad people, but still. . ." he went on, trying to convince himself. The Doctor stopped pacing as he came to a conclusion. "It has to be a different person-I sent the other one into oblivion," he told himself, nodding his head. He took a deep, calming breath. "No matter. Even if there is a remote chance that it could be him, I need to stay and protect the children!" he decided. With that, the Doctor turned away and went off in search of his room for the night.

Hermione wasn't sure what she was feeling at that moment. Part of her felt sorry for the Doctor and how upset he was. The other part of her was glad he was sticking around for a while, even if she just considered him eye-candy for the moment. Hermione would have been even more concerned had she known what was truly bothering the Doctor. She had no idea that the word Voldemort was the low Gallifreyan word for Valeyard.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardy**

Prof. Dumbledore stood at the top of the small staircase just off of the main hallway that led to the Great Hall. He watched the students hurry past on their way to breakfast, making a point to call out a greeting to random students. His attention was so focused on the young people in his charge that did not sense the Doctor behind him until the ancient alien spoke.

"I'll stay and see what I can do to help," the Doctor said, startling Dumbledore. "But don't think, not even for an instant, that you are smart enough to manipulate me," he warned. "I was going to help protect the students before you and I had our little chat. There are some other reasons for me to stick around, but they are none of your business," he explained.

"Thank you, Doctor," Dumbledore replied, not turning to face him. "Will you be joining us at the head table for breakfast?" he asked as if their previous disagreement had never happened. When he failed to receive a reply, Dumbledore turned around to watch the Doctor head through the doors to the Great Hall, making a straight line for the Gryffindor table. Sighing, Dumbledore turned again to welcome students on their way to their morning meal.

The Doctor decided to find out what the old Moob had been thinking when it told him he would have been placed with the Gryffindors had he been a student. While making his way to the table decorated with red and gold, the Doctor took notice of how the students at each table acted. He was able to see that those sitting at the Gryffindor table seemed to be a bit more lively than their counterparts. It wasn't that they were being rowdy, they simply looked like they were eager to embrace what ever life sent their way. Smiling, the Doctor thought that perhaps he would have things in common with the Gryffindor students after all. Weaving through the sea of milling students, he went to where he had seen his new friends Hermione and Neville sitting. Tapping Hermione gently on the shoulder, he asked, "Room for one more?"

Hermione blushed slightly when she recognized the voice behind her. "Certainly, Doctor," she replied, scooting so there would be space between her and Harry. "But shouldn't you be sitting at the head table?" she asked.

The Doctor chuckled and took his seat next to Hermione. "I'm a bit cross with your headmaster this morning. Besides, you lot look like you're a lot more fun to hang out with," he admitted. A new place setting appeared in front of him, startling him slightly. He looked around and saw food materializing on Hermione and Harry's plates. When his plate remained empty, the Doctor looked over at Neville. "Um...am I supposed to do something?" he asked.

"The House Elves cook breakfasts to order," Neville told him. "All you have to do is look at the plate and say what you want," he explained. To demonstrate, Neville looked at plate and said, "Fried tomato." A tomato cut into slices and fried to perfection took form on his plate. Neville broke off a piece with his fork and popped it in his mouth. After he was done chewing and swallowing, Neville beamed at the Doctor. "Hogwart's House Elves are the best cooks on the planet," he boasted.

Curious, the Doctor decided to try an experiment. He looked at his plate and said clearly, "Lungbarrow porridge." A bowl of thick porridge with odd, unidentified bits floating in it popped into existence in front of the Doctor. While he beamed with nostalgic joy, Harry and Hermione leaned away from the odd smell. The Doctor put a large spoonful of the mixture into his mouth and rolled his eyes back in pleasure. "Just like our nanny used to make. Magic is cool," he proclaimed.

The scent of the traditional breakfast for the House of Lungbarrow wafted over to Ron. "GAH! What did you do to piss off your nanny?" he questioned, waving his hand in front of his face.

The Doctor looked up at the red headed boy and grinned proudly. "Many, many things. She said I was born into mischief," he replied cryptically. "Why do you ask?" he inquired, not realizing how Gallifreyan cooking smelled to humans.

Ron chuckled. Like the Marauders before him, he figured that anyone who got into mischief was all right in his book. He held out his hand to the Doctor, streching over the plates. "Ron Weasley," he said, introducing himself.

The Doctor put down his spoon long enough to shake Ron's hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Ron. I'm the Doctor," he replied.

Harry shifted in his seat so that he could offer the Doctor his hand. He dreaded telling people his name and the reaction they inevitably gave him. Harry often wished he could meet someone that had no idea who he was. "I'm Harry Potter," he introduced himself.

The Doctor turned to face Harry. "Hello, Harry," the Doctor said, shaking his hand.

Draco Malfoy had been walking past the Gryffindor table on his way to where the Slytherins sat while Harry introduced himself. "One more person to add to your fan club, Potter," he sneered. Draco walked quickly off, not giving the the Doctor or Harry a chance to reply.

Ron shook his head at how the Doctor looked confused. He knew how his best friend hated the fame that came with just being him. Like tearing off a bandaid, Ron thought that getting past the whole stardom thing was best done quickly so that people could get to know Harry as a person. "That's _the_Harry Potter you're sitting next to, mate," he told the Doctor, pointing a fork full of streaky bacon at Harry.

Harry winced and waited for the Doctor's reaction. A small grin started to form on his face when there seemed to be no sign of recognition from the Doctor. It seemed that his wish for anonymity had finally been granted.

"I'm sorry, are you famous?" the Doctor inquired. "I'm not really up with pop culture," he admitted. "You're not in a boy band, are you?" he asked, a slight look of distaste in his eyes. Hermione and Neville had to pound on Ron's back as he choked on a mouthful of food.

**********DrW**********

Hermione was secretly happy that the Doctor had chosen to spend the morning shadowing her and her friends while they went about their day. Care of Magical Creatures was first up on their schedule. She was interested in how the odd, but cute, man would react to to their old friend, Rebus Hagrid. How a person reacted to those different from themselves spoke volumes in her opinion. It was with that in mind she watched the Doctor when Hagrid came out of his hut to greet his students. The doctor showed no signs of fear or disgust when he saw the half-giant, only non-threatening curiosity.

Hagrid met the Doctor's eyes with a steely glance, taking a measure of the oddly dressed man (the Doctor still insisted on wearing his robe open at the front.) A slight smile and nod of his head was Hagrid's response to the Doctor's friendly grin. "Doctor, isn't it?" he asked and held out a huge hand. The Doctor shook it, his hand lloking like a child's in comparison to Hagrid's. "I'm Rubeus Hagrid, grounds keeper and teacher to this lot of ruffians," he told him good-naturedly, waving at the students. "Prof. Dumbledore said you might be wandering around the grounds today," he shared.

The Doctor was about to reply, but he caught a streak of color in motion just behind the huge man. Leaning to the side, he was able to get a better look at what was moving. His jaw dropped when he saw a custard colored furball the size of a small melon rolling around on the ground. It stopped for a moment and a ridiculously long tongue shot out to snare an unsuspecting spider before continuing to roll around aimlessly. "How did you get here?" the Doctor asked the little creature, oblivious to the strange looks he was getting. He ran his hands through his hair while he tried to figure out what was going on. "I used to have one of these as a boy," the Doctor said, still a little stunned. Puffskeins were common pets for Gallifreyan children.

Hagrid chuckled. "Bought 'im at the Magical Menagerie in Diagon Alley," he told the bewildered Doctor. "Thought the students might be interested in something that doesn't want to eat them for a change," he explained, not quite telling the whole truth.

The Doctor heard Ron sniffle and turned to look at the young man. Ron saw the Doctor looking at him and motioned with his head to the furball. "I used to have a puffskein until Fred decided to use it for bludger practice one day," he explained. The puffskein sensed Ron's unhappiness and leapt into his arms, making a calming, purring noise. "Who's a cute little bloke? Who's a cute little bloke?" he needlessly asked, rubbing his face in the soft fur.

The other Gryffindors chose to look somewhere else other than at Ron, giving him a chance to collect himself. Hermione had turned to face the castle and saw a rock about the same size as the puffskein in the middle of the perfectly manicured lawn. She furrowed her brows when she didn't remember it being there when they walked from the castle to Hagrid's hut. Something that size would have surely caused Neville to stumble. She turned her head when she heard Ron making even more embarrassing noises. Rolling her eyes, Hermoione looked back to the strange rock. She was certain it was now a at least a meter closer to them than it had been just a moment earlier. Reaching up, she was about to tug on the sleeve of the Doctor's robe to get his attention when he spoke in a loud, stern voice.

"Don't even think about it. Do...and I'll boot you into the next spiral arm," he warned. Hermione pulled her hand back suddenly, wondering what she had done to offend him. The Doctor spun around and stared at the gray and black rock. "Just because you lot survived falling through the atmosphere above Tunguska doesn't give you the right to prey on humans," he admonished, pointing a long finger at the rock. "This is your kinds' second warning, I won't give another," he intoned slowly. Hermione's eyes grew wide when the rock sprouted legs and scuttled off behind Hagrid's hut. The Doctor looked at Hermione and gave her a conspiratorial wink. "Pogrebin - they feed off of emotional energy, especially hopelessness, but if you stand up to them, they'll run away every time," he explained. Hermione was relieved that the Doctor's irritation had been directed at the pogrebin and not her.

"Very good, Doctor. I'm impressed," Hagrid said apprciatively. "I'm surprised that you know about them. Pogrebin aren't well known outside of their native Russia," he told the group.

Without thinking, the Doctor replied, "They're not native to Russia. That's just where they ended up." Hagrid looked at him quizzically. "They're came to Earth on a chunk of their planet after it exploded. The planetary fragment broke up with quite a big boom a few miles above Tunguska, scattering the little scavengers for hundreds of miles," he lectured.

Hagrid stroked his beard thoughtfully. He didn't know the Doctor well enough to tell if he was kidding, but he had heard from the black market salesman he dealt with that the first time the pogrebin had been seen was right after the fateful explosion that leveled the Tunguska forest in 1908. Deciding to ask the Doctor about it later, he went on with the day's lesson. He pointed to the custard colored ball of happiness in Ron's arms. "Can anyone tell me what the two creatures have in common?" he put forth to the students.

"They're both about the same size as a bludger," Harry offered.

"True, true," Hagrid said, nodding his head. "But I was looking for something a little more profound," he prompted.

Hermione watched the Doctor look from the puffskein to where the pogrebin had run off to. She made the connection and shot her hand into the air, confident in her answer.

Hagrid called on her, "Go ahead, 'Mione."

Hermione put her hand down. "Positive and negative," she blurted out. When she saw the rest of the class looking at her blankly, she went on. The Doctor's look of approval gave her extra confidence. "They produce opposite emotions in humans. Puffskeins make us happy and pogrebins make us miserable," she explained.

Hagrid clapped his enormous hands. "Very good, 25 points for Gryffindor," he said loudly. "Nature, especially the magical side of her, exists in a constant state of balance. Things get out sorts when that balance is disturbed," he pointed out.

Ron leaned over to Harry and whispered, "Guess who has been out drinking with Firenze again?" Hermione shot him a withering stare and he tried to look contrite. The rest of the lecture was made up of Hagrid pointing out the differences and similarities in the two creatures and how they balanced each other out. When the class was over, the students made their way back to the castle, constantly scanning the lawn for any out of place "rocks".

Once they neared the main doors, the students found Prof. Dumbledore helping a young, blonde woman out of a carriage. Most of the boys, including the Doctor, stopped to stare at her. She was very attractive and looked to be about Tonks' age. "I think I'm in love," Ron muttered in admiration.

Hermione gave a snort of disgust. "Honestly, Ronald Weasley! Could you be any more shallow?" she asked rhetorically. She looked over her shoulder at where the Doctor was standing. Instead of looking at the pretty woman with lust in his eyes, the Doctor had a mixture of surprise and fondness on his face. They were close enough to the carriage to overhear the headmaster and the newest guest at Hogwarts talking.

"I am ever so pleased to see the Prime Minister decided to send you, Miss Ace," Prof. Dumbledore told her with a slight bow.

Ace returned the bow. "You know me, Professor, always looking to get into the thick of things," she replied. She saw the group of students standing a few meters away. Going with a hunch, she nodded towards them. "Which one is the Potter boy?" she asked bluntly, causing Harry to blush.

Prof. Dumbledore motioned for Harry and his friends to come closer. "Harry, I would like you to meet an old friend of mine. She is one of the Prime Minister's Black CATs," he told him. "Ace, this is Harry, Ron, and Hermione," he said, finishing the introductions.

Ace jerked her head towards the Doctor. To her, he looked a little to young to be a teacher and definitely too old to be a student. "Who's he?" she asked.

Before Dumbledore could reply with the cover story he had concocted, the Doctor took a step forward, a smirk on his face. "You know...there once was a time when I was the only person you called 'Professor', Dorothy McShane," he remarked.

The Doctor's smirk held while Ace caught on. The look of startled recognition made him raise his eyebrows twice, teasing her. His smirk faded however, when she took three large steps and shoved him hard in the chest. Everyone, including Prof. Dumbledore, stepped back from the unexpected show of violence. From his new position sitting on the ground, the Doctor looked up into Ace's face while she yelled at him. "Where and when the hell have you been?" she demanded from her foster father.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardy**

"Where and when the hell have you been you been?" Ace demanded from her foster father.

"Here and then. You know me: always on the move," the Doctor replied, trying his hand at a bit of levity. The fact that he had been knocked on his butt made it a bit harder to make light of the situation. From the angry glare he got from Ace, she obviously didn't like his answer. "I still get these things mixed up," he admitted. "Was humour not the right response?" he asked no one in particular.

Ace took another step forward and kicked the Doctor in the shin while he sat on the ground, her black robe flapping. "Ouch!" the Doctor yelled, trying to scoot back with his hands. She kicked him in the other leg for his troubles. "Ow-that hurts! Lay off, Ace," he pleaded.

Hermione couldn't just stand by and watch the Doctor get abused. Glancing over at Harry, he met her eyes and nodded, silently agreeing to help. Their expressions stern, they both stepped forward to help protect their new friend. Ace, catching the movement out of the corner of her eye, turned to face them, smiling sweetly. "It's OK: we're family," she said, as if that explained everything.

Ron put a restraining hand on Harry and Hermione's shoulders to keep them from going any farther. "Leave her to it. Never interfere in a family squabble," he suggested, drawing upon years of growing up in the Barrow.

Hermione wasn't quite convinced yet. "What's he done to upset you so?" she demanded from Ace.

"Well for starters, he hasn't contacted me in over six years," Ace replied, glaring at the Doctor. "Six years and no contact whatsoever. Not even a simple postcard," she snarled. The Doctor decided that perhaps he should wait until she was out of striking distance to tell her it had been over 200 years from his perspective. "I can understand not writing or popping over for tea, but considering _where_ you live - you could have at least made a bloody PHONE CALL!" she screamed at him.

Ron tried to imagine what one of his siblings would do to him if he lost contact with one of them for even a month. He shuddered at the images it brought to mind. "You've definitely got this one coming, mate," he told the Doctor. "Ginny would have given me black eye by now, and I don't even want to think about what Fred and George would do to me," he mused. "I even keep in contact with that ponce Percy," he offered, shrugging.

Hermione frowned down at the Doctor. She was the only child of two only children. Both sets of grandparents had passed away before her birth, so her family was much, much smaller than Ron's. That being said, she still couldn't imagine going for more than a week between owl posts with her parents. "I hate to admit it, Doctor, but for once Ron actually has a valid point," she told him.

"Thanks. . . Wait, what do you mean 'for once'?" Ron demanded, stumbling over himself, realizing he had just been insulted.

Prof. Dumbledore stepped out, in front of the students, spreading his arms wide. "Perhaps we should leave our guests alone for a bit," he suggested, shooing the students towards the arched, stone entryway leading into the castle. The Gryffindors allowed themselves to be shepherded away from the two strange "wizards." Even though she let herself be led away, and despite her earlier words, Hermione glanced over her shoulder to assure herself that the Doctor wasn't going to be hurt _too_ badly. He met her eyes and gave her a quick wink to let her know he was going to be all right.

Ace was watching the byplay between Hermione and the Doctor, sizing up how the pair interacted. _Must be the newest model,_ she thought, allowing herself a small grin. As the students walked away, she studied Harry's retreating form. Ace had mislead Prof. Dumbledore, more out of instinct than anything else. She'd known right from the start who Harry was. He looked far too much like his father to be anyone else. After the students and Dumbledore were out of sight, Ace offered the Doctor her hand, helping him up. He gingerly took it, keeping an eye out for any surprise left hooks to his substantial chin. When the blow didn't come, he took the young woman he thought of as his daughter and pulled her into a hug. Ace was still for a moment, her head resting on his chest. She luxuriated in an embrace she hadn't felt in years. The Doctor was the one to step back first. He looked at Ace, his mind full of questions. The first one out of his mouth was, "When did you become so short?"

Ace punched him in the arm. "I'm the same size, Professor. You're the one who's gotten taller," she reminded him. She hesitated before asking her next question. "How many times. . . you know. . . have you changed?" she asked, darting her eyes around to see if anyone was within earshot.

The Doctor looked at his shoes, feeling too guilty to look Ace in the eyes. "Four times," he muttered softly.

Ace's eyes widen in shock. "Four?" she stammered. "How long has it been since you last saw me?" she asked in a whisper.

Judging her range, the Doctor took a couple of steps backwards. "Somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 years," he admitted. He threw up his arms in front of his face to block any incoming blows. When none came, he peeked around his arms.

"What happened?" was all Ace managed to whimper.

The Doctor sighed wearily. "I'll tell you what I can someday, I promise. But right now isn't the best time for that," he replied sadly. He paused, his eyes narrowed, pointing an accusing finger at her. "Instead, how about you explain how you came about being a witch?" he demanded.

Ace again looked around to make sure no one was listening in on their conversation. She took the Doctor's arm and led him away from the darkened, echoing halls of the castle. "Yeah, about that," she whispered, grinning sheepishly. "I'm not really a witch. I haven't a drop of magical talent anywhere in me," she admitted.

"Huh?" more concise words failing to come from the well spoken alien's befuddled lips. He shook his head to organize his thoughts. "I'm pretty sure someone working for the Prime Minister as an Auror should have at least some magical talent. Everyone around here is pretty much in awe over the Black CATs and their abilities. I might be too if I had the foggiest idea as to what those abilities might be," he told her.

Ace ran her hand through her hair, a gesture she'd adopted from the Doctor. "Probably the easiest way to explain things is to start at the beginning," she suggested.

"Never really bothered me not to start at the beginning," the Doctor interjected, shrugging.

Ace rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I remember. I also remember how it always annoyed me to no end as well," she added sourly. Her eyes became slightly unfocused as she dug into her memories, dredging up to the forefront of her mind how her path had led to this moment. "The Daleks had stepped up their attacks on human settlements and I was recalled back to Space Fleet. They assigned me as a leader of a special strike team. I guess they still liked the finesse I displayed blowing up the domed-topped bastards," she said, grinning at the memory. "The Daleks had amassed a huge fleet and we were put on the defensive almost immediately. Things went from bad to worse and eventually my team was pinned down on some backwater planet with no backup and dwindling ammo," she explained. "Suddenly, the Daleks pulled back and just disappeared. We spent nearly a year looking for any trace of the damned saltshakers with no results. With the enemy gone, my team was disbanded and I decided to head back to Earth for a nice vacation. I chose to return at around the time I got sucked up in that Time storm, just before I met you," she reminisced. "I sort of overshot and ended up in 1978," she admitted.

They found a gray stone wall about three feet high that was perfect to sit on. It led from Hagrid's cabin to a deep, dark forest. Ace continued her story as they sat down. "My first night back on Earth, I was jumped by a stray Weevil," she said in disgust. "After I finished mopping up the alleyway with its ugly face, I heard someone clapping behind me. Some handsome bloke in a long, blue trench coat introduced himself and offered me a job. . . and a quick tumble," she explained, blushing.

"Is there anyone Jack hasn't tried to shag on this blasted island?" the Doctor fumed.

Ace chuckled and looked up as if she were trying to do a complex equation in her head. "I'm sure there at least five people he hasn't met yet," she joked. "Just so you know, I didn't sleep with him," she assured the Doctor.

"Really?" the Doctor asked, truly surprised.

"Yes. . . really," Ace replied, not amused. "Now, can I continue with my story, or are you going to drill me on my sex life?" she demanded. It was the Doctor's turn to blush as he motioned for her to continue. "Jack explained who he worked for, and I decided Torchwood sounded like a good gig. When I finished orientation, I was assigned to Torchwood 4," she went on. "Jack contacted me one night and said he wanted to share some intel with me. He said that one of his contacts warned him about a civil war in the magical community that was threatening to spill over into 'normal' society," she said. "We decided that we needed to infiltrate their world and see what we could do to minimize loss of life," she explained. "Captain Jack, the conman that he once was, came up with the idea of the black CATs," she said, beaming proudly. "The real reason why no one in the magical community can remember us growing up and going to school with them is that we were never really there in the first place," she chuckled.

"So, the Prime Minister knows you aren't really witches and wizards," the Doctor stated for clarification.

"Um. . . not really. Jack and I hacked the primitive computers and added a new branch of security forces that answered to the PM. They just don't know that all requests for Black CATs gets routed through either Jack's or my computer," Ace replied. "We figured the less a politician knows, the better," she stated. "I was the first agent to go in undercover and I wasn't prepared for what ended up happening," she told him.

"Did you get hurt?" the Doctor asked, worried for his foster daughter.

Ace looked away and then up at the castle. "Only my heart," she replied. "I fell in love with a wizard," she explained. "His name was Sirius Black and we dated for almost two years before everything came crashing down in one horrible night," she said sadly. The Doctor silently took her hand in his and waited patiently for her to continue. "Sirius and I found out that our good friends Lily and James had been murdered in their home. Harry was Sirius' godson, so we set off immediately to see if he had survived. We took the Time Hopper because it was faster than his broom and Sirius was too tired from fighting to apparate us both there," she told him. "A pack of Death Eaters had been laying in wait for us over London and attacked us. A blasting curse hit the Hopper directly in the Time core, causing it to explode," she said, tears starting to form at the corners of her eyes. "I woke up in Cardiff a couple of months ago. I guess the blast must have shoved me into the Rift and sent me forward in time 16 years," she speculated. "I looked for Sirius and found that he had been falsely accused of James and Lily's murder and sentenced to life in prison. He escaped, but was killed less than a month before I returned," she sobbed, tears flowing freely.

The Doctor held Ace until her crying stopped, pulling out a purple handkerchief and offering it to her. "I'm truly sorry, Ace," he whispered into her hair, meaning every word. "What I still don't understand is how you manage to pass as a witch," he told her.

Ace smirked and pulled out an ordinary looking wand from a holster on her side and handed it over to the Doctor. "Clarke's law," she said simply, pressing a hidden stud on the wand. The sides split to reveal a mass of nanites that were way beyond anything that was currently available on Earth. "Jack and I cheated a bit and brought in some outside contractors," she admitted. Ace took the wand back and resealed the sides. She leveled it at a rock not far from the wall and pressed a different hidden stud. A brilliant green flash shot out from the tip of the wand and vaporized her target. Ace wasn't sure, but she thought she might have heard a shrill screech right before the rock was destroyed.

The Doctor winced at the death of the little creature that had been stalking him earlier. The thought of what the creature had intended to do to him and the students made him feel a little better.

"OK, your turn. How did you end up in the here and now?" Ace inquired.

The Doctor shifted uncomfortably. "I was looking for the child of some friends of mine and ran into a spot of trouble and. . ." he began, not sure he wanted to finish his sentence.

Ace deflated and put her head in her hands. "You crashed the TARDIS again, didn't you?" she moaned, pretty sure she already knew the answer.

The Doctor jumped off the stone wall, looking offended. "Hold on! I'll have you know I was caught in a Vortex storm and. . ." he started, sitting back down suddenly. "Yes, I crashed the TARDIS again," he admitted with a slight pout.

Ace hugged the Doctor tightly. "I'm glad to see there are still some things about you that never change," she chuckled.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

Hermione walked Tonks back to her guest room on the third floor after dinner. After getting to Tonks' room, the young Auror shut the door behind them for privacy. "So, I heard from a couple of students that our mysterious Doctor accompanied you to your Care of Magical Creatures class," she said suggestively.

"Give it a rest, Tonks," Hermione sighed. "He's nice and cute, but I'm a student and he's a high level covert Auror," she pointed out. "He's probably just hanging around Harry, Ron, and I because of all the threats Harry faces," she speculated.

"I wouldn't be so sure, 'Mione," Tonks implied with a wink. "Speaking of the Doctor, I didn't see him at dinner. Any idea where he might have gotten off to?"she prodded.

"Honestly, Tonks, you're worse than Rita Skeeter," Hermione teased, rolling her eyes. "I'm sure the Doctor is just getting reacquainted with the other black CAT that showed up today," she told her.

Tonks' ears perked up at the mention of another black CAT at Hogwarts. "Who else did the Prime Minister send?" She inquired.

"Oddly enough, the other CAT is a relative of the Doctor's, or at least that's what she said. Personally, I don't see any family resemblance at all," Hermione replied. Tonks tilted her head impatiently and drummed her fingers on the footboard of her bed. "Oh, sorry. I think her code name is 'Ace', but the Doctor used her name...Dorothy Mc-something or other," she said, finally getting around to the name.

Tonks grabbed Hermione by the arm. "Wait - Ace? As in Dorothy 'Ace' McShane?" Tonks replied, not believing her ears, which had turned a bright purple with green spots in shock.

"Unless there are two black CATs using that name, yes," Hermione replied, suddenly suspicious of the new arrival. "Why are you so surprised?" she asked.

"We thought Ace McShane had been killed the same night as Harry's parents," Tonks answered. "We haven't seen her since then. Wait until I tell Remus, he'll be thrilled," she said, nearly vibrating with eagerness.

Hermione, at seeing her friend happy over Ace's arrival, was gratefully relieved. "So, I take it you know her?" she asked, just to make sure they were on the same page.

Tonks lifted up the hem of her robe and showed off her combat boots. "Who do you think gave me my first pair?" she asked, grinning mischievously.

Hermione did some quick calculations, and shook her head, confused. "That's weird. I thought everyone who grew up with a black CAT was obliviated in regards to them," she stated.

Tonks looked insulted. "Just how old do you think I am? No wait. . . don't answer that," she replied. "Ace was about five years older than Sirius. If I remember right, she was about 26 when I turned 8," she said, in an attempt to correct any false impressions.

Hermione blinked a couple of times, trying to take that in. "She looks like she's about 25, so either she ages really well, or she's had some work done," she speculated.

"Wow! I've got to get her to share her beauty secrets with me," Tonks promised herself. Her face suddenly went blank as another thought took hold. "Merlin's saggy balls! Ace probably doesn't know that it was Pettigrew who betrayed the Potters and then set up Sirius," she exclaimed. "I've got to go find her. I'll see you later, 'Mione," she yelled over her shoulder as she ran out of the room.

Hermione followed Tonks out of the room and waved at the retreating form of her friend. She walked along the flagstone hallway and then turned to take a stairwell on her right. Her head was too cluttered for her to return to the rowdy Gryffindor common room. She decided to go spend some time in the castle's enormous library, which was housed on the fourth floor. The silence of the library always gave her a measure of peace she couldn't quite explain.

As she turned the corner leading into the enormous expanse of books, she heard the Doctor's voice complaining loudly about the way they had been sorted. Judging from the echoes, Hermione figured that he must be in the Magical Artifact Creation section. Smiling without realizing it, she made her way through the tall, darkened silver oak shelves towards the sound of his voice.

"Blast it! Why can't they organize things they way they're supposed to be?" the Doctor moaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He had been roaming the shelves of the library the entire afternoon, looking for some indication as to how and why parts of Gallifreyan life had popped up on Earth.

"Can I help you find something, Doctor?" Hermione offered.

The Doctor jumped and then put a hand over each of his hearts. "Vortex, you startled me," he exclaimed. When he had gotten his pulses back under control, he smiled charmingly at Hermione. "If you can help me, I will be forever in your debt, Ms. Granger," he replied, bowing slightly.

Hermione cocked her head, pursing her lips as she noticed his odd gestures and choice in expletives when startled, chalking it up to Black CATs being stationed abroad for long periods of time. "What are you looking for?" she asked, partly distracted by how cute his smile was.

"I'm looking for any texts on the history of Magic," the Doctor told her. "So far, the only thing I've been able to find are books on making magical items, potion brewing, and an entire section devoted to 'Muggle Studies'," he complained. He raised an eyebrow at Hermione. "You lot do know that the majority of what is in those books is completely wrong, don't you? The Muggle studies I mean. I haven't had time to try out any of the more interesting recipes I found in the other books," he rambled.

Hermione chuckled and took the Doctor's arm. "Come on, I'll show you where the histories are kept," she said as she led him to the back of the library. When they reached the appropriate section, she let go of his arm and asked, "What era are you looking for?"

"As far back as possible. I would like to see the earliest records of magic that you have," the Doctor replied.

Scowling in thought, Hermione tapped her chin while she decided which texts would be the best. History was one of her favorite subjects and she had managed to get through about a third of the books in this section. She walked back and forth along the shelves, pulling out books as she spoke. "You can start with 'A History of Magic' by Bathilda Bagshot. It's the most commonly used resource. After that, I would suggest 'A Guide to Medieval Sorcery' and 'Hogwarts: a History'," she suggested. She handed him the three books that combined were nearly a foot and half thick.

The Doctor took the books from Hermione and brought them over to a table near the end of the shelves. Scowling, he dropped the books on the table with a loud thump. "And I thought my instructors gave out a lot of reading assignments," he said absently.

"Actually, only 'A History of Magic' is required reading. I read the others for fun," Hermione admitted.

The Doctor narrowed his eyes while looking from the books to Hermione. "Really?. . . for fun?" he asked. Hermione squared her shoulders, getting ready for the argument she and Ron had been having since they met. What the Doctor said next erased all of her tension and brought a huge smile to her face: "That's absolutely brilliant! You have no idea how refreshing it is to meet another person interested in learning stuff for the sheer fun of it!" he exclaimed.

Hermione dropped into the nearest chair. "I know exactly how you feel," she replied. "I just don't understand why my friends can't see that I'm actually _enjoying_ myself when I'm learning something new," she shared. "I'd probably faint if I saw Ron get excited over something scholastic," she joked.

Sighing, the Doctor nodded his head and sat in the chair opposite her. "Several of my friends over the years have acted the same way. They just didn't get why I became giddy when we ended up someplace new," he said. He cocked his head to the side and took an appraising glance at Hermione. "So Miss Granger, apart from History, what other subjects do you like?" he inquired.

"I like just about all of them: Care of Magical Creatures, Transfiguration, Potions, Charms, Herbology, Astronomy, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and Defense Against the Dark Arts," she replied. "Pretty much the only class I can't stand is Divination. I think fortunetelling is just a bunch of rubbish. And don't get me started on prophecies!" she fumed.

The Doctor laughed, unable to control his mirth. "I lost count years ago of how many prophecies I've ended up ruining," he chuckled. He looked back down at the stack of huge books on the table. "I wish I had been as dedicated to my studies as you seem to be to yours," he sighed. "Things would probably have been a lot smoother for me if I had," he admitted. Deciding to change the subject, the Doctor said, "Judging from your name, I would guess your parents are also avid readers," he surmised. "Although, you don't really strike me as the queen from 'A Winter's Tale'. You seem much more vibrant," he told her.

"Thanks," Hermione replied, blushing. "Which of his characters _do_ I remind you of?" she asked, curious to know his answer.

It took the Doctor less than a second to make a decision. "Beatrice, of course," he replied, earning him another broad smile from Hermione. "You're both strong, quick witted women who refuse to settle for anything but the best from those around them. That kind of trait forces others to go beyond their comfort zone and become more than they were," he explained.

Hermione basked in the compliment. "'Much Ado About Nothing' is my favorite Shakespearean play," she admitted, pleased that he had chosen her favorite character. She leaned back and looked at the Doctor. She thought about how full of life he was and his equally sharp wit. _So. . . if I'm Beatrice, does that make you Benedick?_ she allowed herself to wonder.

They spent the next couple of hours talking about their favorite authors and books. Hermione was pleasantly surprised to find a wizard who enjoyed science-fiction. The Doctor had told her a few amusing stories about his favorite authors. She particularly liked the one about Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke on the golf course. When she told him she was partial to Robert Heinlein, the Doctor looked away sharply, pretending to study the shelf behind him. Hermione thought she heard him mutter something about ". . . damn multiverse theories that are way too accurate for a human to come up with. . ."

An intricate cuckoo clock on the wall near them squawked eight times. Hermione spun around to stare at it, taken by surprise at how late it had become. She turned around to face the Doctor, a slight hint of disappointment evident in her eyes. "Eight o'clock, the library is closing. We don't want to be caught by Madam Pince after hours," she warned. The Doctor agreed and picked up the three books Hermione had recommended he read. They said their goodbyes at the entrance to the library and as the Doctor walked away, he didn't notice Hermione pause for a moment to watch him, a wistful smile on her lips. She shook herself and hurried to the Gryffindor dormitory.

The Doctor wandered the interior of the castle as he looked for just the right spot to read, when he heard what sounded like a pair of students begging. He turned a corner and found Harry and Ron standing before a stern looking matriarch in dark blue robes. "Please Prof. McGonagall, even though it's not really a matter of life or death, we desperately need to go Hogsmeade tomorrow," Harry pleaded.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that Harry. If we don't go into Hogsmeade, she just might kill us," Ron rebutled seriously.

Prof. McGonagall gave the boys a look that even made the Doctor feel like he was in trouble and he was at least 800 years older than her. "Be that as it may, boys, the new rules for this semester are very clear. Due to the increase in Death Eater attacks and the huge influx of dark creatures into this area, no students are allowed off school grounds without an adult escort," she reminded them.

It was Ron's turn to plead and he was wide eyed with desperation. "But Professor, it's Hermione's birthday tomorrow and we forgot to buy her a present," he explained again.

"I'm sorry, Ronald, but your lack of foresight doesn't constitute an emergency worthy of disrupting the all faculty meeting scheduled for tomorrow," Prof. McGonagall replied tersely.

The Doctor stepped forward, coughing to let the others know he was there. The Head of Gryffindor House recognized him from the description Dumbledore had given her. "I'll take them to Hogsmeade," the Doctor offered. "I have some business there anyway."

McGonagall thought for a moment and nodded. "I suppose if one of the Prime Minister's Aurors is willing to escort you, I see no problem with you going," she told her students. "So long as you stay by his side the entire time," she added.

"Thank you, Professor. Thank you, Doctor," Harry and Ron nearly shouted as they grinned at each other. The two students ran off, relieved that they wouldn't end up disappointing Hermione.

"I take it I don't have to tell you how dangerous things could get out there," Prof. McGonagall asked rhetorically.

Shrugging, the Doctor replied, "That's pretty much my day to day routine."

McGonagall raised an eyebrow in surprise at how sincere he sounded. "Well, just make sure you get them back in one piece and do make sure Ron gets Hermione a thoughtful present for once," she ordered. When the Doctor nodded in agreement, she tipped her hat towards him and said, "Good evening then, Doctor." Knowing a dismissal when he heard one, the Doctor made his way to the Great hall to sit down and read. He had already decided on the perfect present to give Hermione for her birthday.

********DrW********

Harry and Ron ran to the courtyard as soon as their afternoon classes finished. They had given Ginny the job of distracting Hermione so they could get to Hogsmeade without her knowing. They found the Doctor standing next to a waiting thestral carriage. "Ready to go?" he asked. He didn't wait for an answer and got into the carriage. Ron and Harry hopped in right after him.

The short trip to Hogsmeade was filled with small talk as the young men talked about Quiditch. The Doctor was intrigued by this sport and vowed to give it a try at some point in the future as they pulled to a stop in Hogsmeade. They piled out and made their way down the shop lined street. Ron purchased a small, portable Wizard's Wireless so Hermione could listen to music while she studied. Harry found an extremely detailed model of Hogwarts that stood over a foot tall. The model was enchanted so the the tiny flags on the towers flapped in a magical breeze. Lights would also come on in the castle depending upon what time of day it was. The Doctor knew exactly where the present he wanted to give Hermione was. He just had to get back to the TARDIS to fetch it.

They were halfway to the old blue box when they heard people screaming. Several witches and wizards came running around a corner and scattered when they reached the main street. Ron and Harry drew their wands and held them at the ready when a strange roar echoed off the buildings. The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver when he heard large foot steps coming their way. A huge beast with the body of a lion and a scorpion tail rushed onto the street. It's head looked vaguely human if one discounted the three rows of razor sharp teeth in its elongated mouth.

"Oh bloody hell, a manticore!" Ron swore. "Might as well put this away, their skin is impervious to charms," he said as he put his wand back in his pocket.

The Doctor glanced over at Harry and asked, "What options does that leave us?"

Harry looked at the manticore and then met the doctor's eyes. "Run!" he suggested. The three of them turned at the same time and ran the way they had came. The manticore smiled, showing off its teeth to the fresh prey running from it, and gave chase.

"Anything else I should know about manticores?" the Doctor yelled as they ran.

"They eat people and their sting is fatal," Ron replied frantically, pumping his arms while he ran.

"Oh good, I was beginning to wonder if we had offended it in some way and that was why it's chasing us," the Doctor said casually. He looked ahead of him and saw the boys he had watched turn into large canaries the other day step out of the joke shop. They weren't paying attention and would have ended up walking directly into the path of the manticore had the Doctor not put on a burst of speed and run ahead of Ron and Harry. When he reached the boys with the canary candy, he shoved them back into the store to get them out of harm's way, not having time to be gentle. He swiped the box of mystical confections from one of their pockets as a plan started to take form in his mind. "This way," he yelled to Harry and Ron and ducked down a narrow side alley. They followed him and the manticore tried to follow, but ended up sliding past them, its mass being too great to make such a tight turn. They hid in an alcove off of one of the buildings as the beast sniffed around the opening to the alley. It gave up temporarily and went back to prowling the main street.

Panting for air, Ron looked down at the half empty box of candy in the Doctor's hand. "Do you really think that now is a good time for sweets?" he demanded, incredulous.

The Doctor turned the box in his hand so the others could read the label. Harry read it out loud, "Canary Cremes, Another fine product from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes." Harry looked up at Ron. "Glad to see your brothers are doing well," he said sincerely.

Ron looked like he couldn't believe they were having this conversation. "What? Do you think old Manty back there won't want to eat us if we're poultry?" he asked. "Hate to break it to you, but Charlie said they'll eat anything. He told me he even heard of one eating a politician a few years back," he told them.

Harry looked at the Doctor's expectant face and knew the older man was waiting on them to make what ever leap he had. He glanced back down to the candies and began to grin as he put the pieces together. His fear fled before his anticipation of mischief. "Of course, why didn't I think of that!" he exclaimed.

Ron looked back and forth between Harry and the Doctor. "Have you both gone mental?" he inquired.

The Doctor shook the box of candy. "Ron, you said the manticore's skin was impervious to charms, right?" he asked. Ron nodded, beginning to feel like he was missing something.

Harry kept grinning and added, "But a canary's feathers aren't."

Ron rolled his eyes and said, "Now I know you've both gone mental. It would take several canary cremes to transform a monster of that size."

Beaming with pride that Ron finally got the plan, the Doctor said, "Right, which is why you and I need to get close enough to toss the rest of these in its mouth while avoiding its stinger."

Ron scrunched up his forehead in disbelief. "Why me?" he asked in a screechy voice.

"Who is the best spell caster here?" the Doctor prompted.

Ron held out his hand for half of the candies. "Harry is," he answered. He looked at Harry and said, "You better not miss or we're manty snacks," he added.

The manticore was slowly stalking a little old witch, playing with its prey, when it heard yelling and whistling behind it. A young human with flaming red hair and _something_ else, judging by its scent, were jumping around, trying to get its attention. Ready to oblige their death wish, the manticore leapt in their direction. It struck out with its deadly scorpion tail, but missed the older "man" when he dodged at the last second. It let out a mighty roar in frustration and was rewarded by several sugary morsels being tossed in into its mouth. The manticore snapped its jaws shut and chewed the tasty treats. It looked up in surprise when it started to feel funny. Glancing at its hindquarters the manitcore watched first one, then many feathers sprout. When the final feather had taken form, the now truly gigantic canary looked at the Doctor, betrayal in its eyes. "**_Petrificus Totalus!_**" Harry yelled. The manitcore's plumage changed to a dull gray and it fell over, totally petrified.

The Doctor straightened his bow tie. "Nothing quite like running for your life from some hideous creature to liven up a day," he reflected.

Ron leaned over to Harry who had joined them in the middle of the street. "Completely mental," he whispered.

Harry couldn't stop smiling, the joy of cheating death yet again filling his soul. "Yeah, but loads of fun," he replied.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hogsmeade**

Harry, Ron, and the Doctor stood watch over the frozen manticore / giant canary until two men dressed in Ministry of Magic robes popped into existence next to them. The Ministry men scratched their heads in confusion at the creature in the middle of the street. All of the color drained from Ron's face when he recognized the taller, redheaded man. "Dad, I can explain. . ." he stammered.

Arthur Weasley turned at the sound of his youngest son's voice. "Ronald? What are you doing here? Didn't they tell you students weren't allowed off the school without an adult escort?" he demanded. As an after thought he added a cheerful, "Hello, Harry."

Harry, still grinning from their recent victory, replied "Hello, Mr. Weasley," and shook the elder Weasley's hand. "We do have an escort," he told Arthur while pointing at the Doctor.

Taking that as his cue, the Doctor stepped forward and offered his hand. "Hello, I'm the Doctor," he supplied.

Ron stepped over to his father's side and whispered, "He's a Black CAT, Dad."

Arthur's eyes widen in shock and he pumped the Doctor's hand energetically. "Pleasure to meet you, Sir," he gushed. He was a huge fan of the "Jamie Bonds - Black CAT" book series written by Captain James Harper, retired. He knew the character in the book was fictional, but it still colored his views on the real Black CATs. He was also in love with the concept of Aurors deeply embedding themselves in the Muggle world. "Sir, we were contacted about a rogue manticore attacking the village. You wouldn't by chance have seen one about?" he inquired.

Ron tugged on the sleeve of his father's robe and gestured at the gray hued canary. "That's him," he pointed out. While Arthur creased his brow in confusion, Ron went on. "The Doctor came up with a plan to use Fred and George's Canary Cremes to turn the manticore into something we could handle. He and I tossed it the candies while Harry hexed it," he explained.

Arthur reached over and mussed his son's hair affectionately. "Well done, boy, well done," he praised. His expression changed when he realized how close they would have been in order to get the candies into the beast's mouth. Looking skyward, Arthur pulled off his pointed wizard's cap, and ran his fingers through his thinning, red hair. "For goodness sake, Ron, do you realize how close you came to being killed?" he chastised.

Ron swallowed hard, remembering the encounter vividly. "Trust me, Dad, that was pretty much on my mind the entire time," he admitted.

Arthur shook his head in dismay. "To be on the safe side, let's keep this little incident from your mother, shall we?" he suggested. "If she finds out, she may never let you out of the house again," he warned. Ron gulped loudly again and nodded vigorously. "Good. Now if you three will excuse us, Bob and I will will transport this thing to somewhere a bit more secured," he told them. Arthur and the other Auror pointed their wands at the manticore / canary, muttered some brief incantations, and disappeared in a flash of blue light, taking the beast with them.

The Doctor clapped his hands once and rubbed them together. "Now that that's settled, time for me to go pick up my present for Miss Granger," he told his friends. He spun on his heels and and started walking down the street at a brisk pace.

Looking up and down the street at the shops closed due to the manticore attack, Harry hurried to catch up with the Doctor. "Looks like they're all shut up tight, Doctor. We can say you and I went in together on the miniature castle," he offered.

The Doctor smirked at Harry. "That's a generous offer, Harry, but I'm not getting her present at a shop," he said cryptically. They reached the end of the street and he began fishing around in his pocket for the TARDIS key.

Ron squinted his eyes to make sure he was seeing things correctly. "Police box? What's a police box?" he asked. Harry shrugged his shoulders in reply.

The Doctor put his key in the door and looked over his shoulder saying, "Be back in a jiffy." He went inside and shut the door behind him before the young men could follow. The two Gryffindors looked at each other quizzically as strange noises came from the large, blue box. The noises became louder as the box faded from sight.

**********DrW**********

**London, 1602**

A middle aged man sighed as he put his hands on the middle of his back and stretched. He had been writing for several hours and the candle on the corner of his desk was nearly burnt out. Familiar noises coming from the courtyard near the inn where he kept a room drew his attention. Smiling like a fool, he shot out of his chair and raced outside.

As soon as the Doctor opened the door, he saw his friend leaning against the side of a building in front of him. The man straightened up and walked towards him, his arms held out wide. "Doctor, what a wonderful surprise to see you," the man said. "Of course, it's always a surprise when you show up, but you get my point," he added.

The Doctor embraced his friend and then stepped back. "Good to see you too, Bill," he replied. He noticed the wordsmith looking over his shoulder at the TARDIS as if he were expecting something. "What?" the Doctor inquired.

When no one else came out of the magic box, Bill looked at his friend and gave him a devilish smile. "Just seeing if you brought anyone else along with you," he replied. "I was so hoping it would be that delicious red headed girl and her handsome boyfriend. I _still_ think I can talk them both into a night of fun and frivolity back in my room," he said suggestively.

The Doctor was forced to pause as he dealt with that mental image. "Um. . .right, sorry, just me this time around," he told a slightly disappointed bard. "I'm actually here to ask a favor of you," the Doctor informed him.

Bill performed an elaborate, deep bow. "For my Doctor, anything," he said graciously. He straightened and looked more serious. "I mean that old friend. You have but to name it, and if it is within my power, it will be done, I swear it," he promised.

"Thank you, Bill," the Doctor replied. "It's actually a rather small thing, a birthday gift for a friend of mine. She is a big fan of your works," he told him.

Bill clapped his friend on the back and led him to the tap room of the inn. "You can tell me all about this woman with extraordinary taste over a few pints," he suggested. He saw the Doctor look over his shoulder at the TARDIS. "Doctor, you have a wondrous conveyance that allows you to travel through time and space. I think you can spare time for a drink or two," he reminded the old alien.

Looking like he wasn't totally convinced, the Doctor replied, "I suppose I have time for _one_ drink," he replied hesitantly.

**********DrW**********

Hogsmeade, 1996

Within seconds of the blue box disappearing, the unearthly noises began again. This time, a slight breeze accompanied the sounds and was followed the by police box fading back into sight. "What was that all about?" Harry wondered, running his hand over the wooden side of the box.

The door to the TARDIS opened and the Doctor slowly stepped outside, shading his eyes with his hand. He pulled a pair of extremely dark glasses out of his jacket and slipped them on. "Why does this system's star have to be so bloody bright?" he moaned. He slowly locked the door behind him as if every movement brought pain.

"Are you all right, Doctor?" Harry asked, worried for his new friend.

The Doctor held up a finger to his lips to indicate silence. "Not now, Harry. Sound is bouncing around the inside of my skull like an Adipose after a cupcake," he croaked. "For once, I welcome the Silence and what ever is behind them," he muttered. With the utmost care, the Doctor reached back into his jacket and tried to find a pill bottle he had stashed years ago. He finally found it and had to lift his glasses a bit to read the label. "One to two capsules per day with a large glass of water," he read aloud. After finally getting the cap off (which he found exceedingly difficult for some reason) he poured out four pills into his hand and looked around desperately for something to drink.

Harry pulled out his wand and whispered, "_**ACCIO AUQUAS**_." A goat skin flask full of water flew into his out stretched hand. "Here you go, Doctor," he offered softly.

"Thank you, Harry," the Doctor managed in something close to a whimper. He tossed the pills in his mouth and drained the water skin. "I should be better by the time we reach the castle, granted the thestral takes it nice and slow," he said optimistically.

**********DrW**********

**Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardy**

By the time the evening meal was through, Hermione knew something was up. It didn't take much to figure out what it was considering the fact that Harry, Ron, and Ginny had left supper early combined with what day it was. She reminded herself to act surprised when she got to the Gryffindor common room, the only logical place to hold a party.

When Hermione reached the common room, she was greeted by everyone shouting "Happy Birthday!" The red haired siblings led Hermione to the large, comfy couch in front of the fireplace. Half of the couch was piled with presents while the other half had been left open for her to sit. Hermione sat down, accepted a glass of pumpkin juice from Harry, and looked around the room to see who all had shown up. Tonks was sitting on the arm of a chair chatting with Seamus. Neville was guarding the punchbowl, making sure no one dropped any of Fred and George's products in. She was pleasantly surprised to see the Doctor hanging out unobtrusively near the back of the room, talking with Prof. McGonagall. The last two people to arrive at the party were announced by a deep, booming voice.

"Sorry we're late, folks, but Ace here was helping me tune up her and Sirius' old motorcycle," Hagrid explained as he and Ace strolled into the room.

Hermione watched the Doctor's hand snap over to make eye contact with Ace. She was able to see the female Black CAT mouth the words, "I'll explain later." The Doctor gave a slight nod of his head and went back to speaking with the head of Gryffindor House.

Ginny, was nearly overcome with the excitement only teen girls can generate. "Time to open your presents, 'Mione," she said, grabbing a present off of the stack and handing it to Hermione. "Remember to tell us who it's from," she reminded her friend. An automatic quill stood poised over a sheet of parchment so Hermione could record who the present was from and send an appropriate, individualized thank you note to each person.

Hermione didn't need to read the label on the first package to know who it was from, Ron's inability to wrap presents neatly a near scientific constant. "This one's from Ron," she announced and tore open the package. She turned the small wooden box with elegant scroll work over in her hands, trying to figure out what it was.

Noticing her confusion, Ron took the box out of her hand and placed it down on an end table. "It's a Wizard Wireless," he explained while drawing a symbol on the top with his wand. The latest hit from the "Weird Sisters" filled the room. "I figured you could listen to music while you studied," he suggested.

Hermione hopped off the couch and hugged Ron. "Thank you, Ron. I always listen to music while I'm at home," she told him. Ginny pulled her back to the couch and handed her a large present, neatly wrapped. She looked at the name tag attached and told the quill, "This one is from Harry." She ripped off the paper and took in a quick breath when she saw the intricate detail of the Hogwarts model. Peering through the tiny windows, she was able to see miniature figures going about their day. "It's beautiful, Harry. Thank you very much!" she gushed.

Picking up an oddly shaped package, Ginny handed it to Hermione and told her, "Tonks and I went in together on this one." Hermione had only ripped open a part of the paper when she started giggling at what she saw underneath. She finished ripping off the rest of the paper to reveal a pair of combat boots with Gryffindor red and yellow bootlaces.

"Time you started wearing your big girls boots, 'Mione," Tonks teased playfully. She looked over at Ace and winked.

Still giggling, Hermione asked, "Didn't Ace get you your first pair when you where eight?"

"What can I say? I was an early bloomer," Tonks boasted and used her powers to enhance her bust size to comic proportions. Everyone laughed except for Prof. McGonagall who just rolled her eyes.

Ace made an exaggerated show of looking at Tonks' chest. "I never thought about you using your abilities like that. Moony must be one happy bloke," she said with a straight face.

Prof. McGonagall clapped her hands loudly and announced, "Moving on, shall we!" Ace and Tonks both tried to fade into the woodwork, their faces looking like first year students being caught doing something naughty. Tonks allowed her bosom to return to its normal, slightly smaller than average size. "I believe there are still more presents for our beloved birthday girl," McGonagall said softly, completely dismissing the older girl's antics.

Tonks stepped forward, giving Prof. McGonagall a wide berth. She pulled out four packages wrapped in copies of the Quibbler. Three of the packages were long and cylindrical while the last was shaped like a pyramid about a foot high. She handed the pyramid and one of the cylinders to Hermione. "These are from Remus. He spent months working on them," she told her. She handed a cylinder to Harry. "Happy late birthday, Harry," she apologized. Tossing the final cylinder to Ron, she added, "You get your birthday present early." Harry and Ron waited for Hermione to open her cylinder before they opened theirs. When they all had the paper torn off and the lids open, three identical ivory wands slid out of the cylinders. "They're practice wands," Tonks explained before they even asked the question of what they were. "Open up the big one, 'Mione," she suggested impatiently. Hermione complied and found an ivory pyramid with three rotating levels.

"What does it do?" Hermione asked, peering at the runes carved into the sides.

Tonks had a wicked smile when she replied, "Glad you asked." She picked up the pyramid and placed it on a table. "Ron, step into the middle of the room and bring your practice wand," she ordered.

"Me? Why me? It's Hermione's birthday," Ron whined, instinctively knowing he was being set up.

"Exactly. It's 'Mione's birthday and you're family. Now get your redheaded butt over hear or I'll tell everyone about the Christmas when you were seven," Tonks threatened. Ron nearly vaulted the couch to get into the center of the room. "Good choice," she said smugly. She went over to the pyramid and rotated the top segment one quarter turn and then tapped the point with her finger. A spectral figure of a Death Eater appeared to Ron's right. The apparition was hazy blue and semi transparent.

Ron was a little slow to react and the "Death Eater" had its wand out and fired a curse before he could react. "OUCH!" Ron screamed as a blue energy bolt struck him in the butt. He spun around and yelled, "**_STUPEFY_**!" Instead of the customary red blast of magic associated with the Stupefy spell, another blue bolt came from Ron's practice wand. The bolt struck the "Death Eater" dead center and the construct vanished.

Tonks tapped the point of the pyramid again as Ron massaged his butt cheek. "Remus came up with the idea last year when Harry was teaching Dumbledore's Army. Now the three of you will be able to practice with ever increasing levels of difficulty wherever you feel like it," she said proudly of her boyfriend's creation.

Hermione looked down at her practice wand, her merriment momentarily lost. She squared her shoulders as she vowed to practice with the device as often as possible to make sure she did her part in winning the war. "This is a wonderful gift. Please tell Remus thank from us," she requested.

Harry nodded, thinking along the same lines as Hermione. "Yes, please tell Moony thank you for me," he added. He and Hermione looked at Ron expectantly.

Ron looked from Harry to Hermione. "What? I'll tell him thanks when my arse quits hurting, OK?" he complained. This set everyone off laughing again and even brought forth a small snicker from Prof. McGonagall.

Ginny looked at the empty half of the couch where the presents had been and gave Hermione another hug. "Happy birthday again," she told her. Ginny stood up when she was tapped on the shoulder. She turned around and saw the Doctor behind her. Ginny quickly turned to face Hermione again, made an excited face, and then stepped aside.

"One last present, Miss Granger," the Doctor said and pulled out a small package wrapped in a hideous purple and green paisley wrapping paper. Hermione hesitantly took the offered present, worried that the tackiness might rub off. The Doctor stepped back and stood next to Ace while Hermione opened the present.

Under the ugly paper was a simple leather folder made from tanned ox hide held together with a leather strap. The pages between the covers were made of sturdy parchment. On top of the folder was a note on the same parchment. Written on it, it somewhat messy handwriting, were the words, "From one fan to another, the Doctor". Intensely curious, Hermione opened the cover and her breath caught when she read the handwritten words on the first page. This time the words were written in a much more flowing, much neater handwriting, obviously written by a different person:

**_Much Ado About Nothing_**

**_Working Script_**

**_(If perchance you have found this in one of our wonderful local drinking establishments, please return it to William Shakespeare)_**

Hermione flipped through some pages and saw the the play was written on the front side of the parchment while stage notes were written on the back. She looked up at the Doctor, wonder in her eyes. "Thank you, Doctor. This is absolutely wonderful," she told him. Turning the folder over in her hands she examined it from all sides. "This is the the most authentic looking reproduction I have ever seen. Of course, I've never actually seen any reproductions like this, but I'm sure they wouldn't be this real looking," she rambled.

The Doctor frowned, not happy Hermione had mistaken the origins of his gift. "That's not. . ." he started to say until he saw Ace glaring at him angrily. She jerked her head towards the door, and stormed off in that direction.

"That's not what, Doctor?" Hermione asked.

"Um. . . nothing, will you excuse me for a moment?" the Doctor requested. Before Hermione could answer, he had turned and was headed out the door to the hallway.

When the Doctor shut the Fat Lady's painting behind him, Ace pointed an accusing finger at him. "Did it ever occur to you _try_ to blend in and not be conspicuous?" she complained.

"What?" the Doctor replied, confused as to what she was talking about.

Ace sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Tell me about the play," she ordered.

"That? That's what your mad about?' the Doctor asked, even more confused. "Miss Granger and I had a nice discussion about literature the other night and she told me her favorite play was 'Much Ado About Nothing'. I found out it was her birthday so I popped back and asked Bill if I could have a copy to give her as a present," he said as if he was describing going to the local market to get some eggs.

"Bill? As in William. . ." Ace started to say. The concept was too mind boggling even for her to wrap her head around.

"Of course. Where else would I get a copy?" the Doctor inquired, not realizing there had been a much simpler, more mundane way to get one. Neither of the two Time travelers noticed the shocked reactions of the paintings lining the wall who were listening in on their conversations.

Hermione looked at the door the Doctor had gone through and smiled to herself. She thought it was very sweet and thoughtful for him to get her a birthday present at all, let alone one dealing with her favorite Shakespeare play. The Doctor had proved himself to be not only a very intelligent man, but a thoughtful one as well. She looked over at Tonks and did the math. Remus was 13 years older than her and they were very happy together. Hermione ran her hand over the cover of the script and began to wonder if perhaps it wasn't time she began to pursue her own Benedick.


	11. Chapter 11

**Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry**

Harry had spent most of the day before in Quiditch practice, gone to bed early, and fallen asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow. His eyes snapped open and he lay still, trying to discover what had woken him. He glanced out the window and saw the dawn had just barely arrived. Experience had taught him to trust his hunches and he knew _something_ had startled him awake. A muffled yelp from the common room confirmed his fears and he shot out of bed, taking his wand out from underneath his pillow. "Ron! Wake up! Someone is in trouble in the common room," he yelled. Ron sat straight up in bed and grabbed his wand from the holster he had hung off the headboard. From the tone of Harry's voice, Ron knew now was not the time to argue about lost sleep. Another yelp fixed this in his mind as he took his place by Harry's side.

Harry flicked his wand at the door and whispered, "_**SILENCIO**_." Ron nodded once after the spell was cast. They had practiced this particular maneuver many times skulking around Hogwarts after hours. Both young men held their wands at the ready and Ron pushed the door open with his foot, giving Harry room to sneak through. A third painful yelp made them forget any sort of caution. It was clear to both of them that the yelp had come from Hermione. Ron slammed the door open wide enough for both of them to run through. He was a few steps behind Harry when his friend came to a sudden stop at the top of the stairs.

"Harry! We have to help. . ." Ron started to yell when he registered the fact that Harry was laughing. "What's so bloody funny?" he demanded. Harry just nodded towards the common room. Ron followed his gaze, rolled his eyes, and tucked his wand into the pocket of his pyjamas. "Leave it Hermione to try and get a jump on even this homework," he sighed. Ron turned around and walked back up to his bed, hoping to salvage another hour of sleep.

Harry walked down to the bottom of the stairs so he could watch Hermione practice with Remus' "Pyramid of Pain" as Ron had dubbed it. She had set the pyramid to project two Death Eaters at once. After she neutralized one, it would reappear in a different location five seconds later. Hermione was whispering her spells in an attempt not to wake her fellow Gryffindors, something that was severely hampering her chances at holding her own against a pair of "Death Eaters." Harry walked over and tapped the top of the pyramid to turn it off.

Hermione's back was to the pyramid and she spun around when the Death Eaters dissolved back into the Aether. "Oh, Harry. I'm so sorry I woke you. I was trying to be as quiet as I could," she tried to apologize.

Harry chuckled and pointed his wand at the ceiling and walls. "_**AUDIO REFLECTUS**_," he said with a double flick and swish of his wand. "Fred and George taught me that spell the last time I was at the Barrow. They said it was the only way they could listen to music in their room without their mom telling them to turn it down," he explained. "Sound won't leave the room, but it might get uncomfortably loud for us on this side," he warned her.

"Us?" Hermione inquired, still a bit embarrassed at waking harry and Ron.

Harry nodded while he picked up a practice wand and rotated the middle segment of the pyramid, setting it for two trainees. "Us," he confirmed. Taking a deep breath, Harry touched the top of the pyramid to activate it and then ran to join Hermione in the center of the room. "Back to back!" he shouted, turning to face away from Hermione. "_**EXPELLIARMUS**_!" they both yelled, sending two out of the four blue Death Eaters crashing into the walls where they exploded into a fine, blue mist.

**********DrW**********

Ron shook his head at Harry and Hermione as they passed through the Fat Lady's door on their way to breakfast. "Don't you think we take enough physical abuse from _real_ Death Eaters," he asked sarcastically as he saw both of them trying to rub sore spots out of their shoulders.

Hermione and Harry started to chuckle. "Apparently someone needs to relearn his right from his left," she teased Harry.

"I thought you meant _your_ right, not mine," Harry replied, trying to defend himself. Noticing Ron's blank look, Harry explained. "We were trying a move where we jumped away at the same time to see if we could confuse the pyramid. Unfortunately, we jumped in the same direction and collided in midair," he admitted. "The pain from the pyramid wore off long ago, but I bet this bruise will take a while to heal," he said while massaging the already dark bruise. Ron shook his head and closed the Fat Lady's painting.

The instant the painting clicked into place, the Fat Lady squealed in excitement when she saw the students. "Hermione dear, there is something that I just have to tell you," she blurted out. Her eyes grew wide as they all heard the noise of a metal gauntlet being balled into a fist from one of the other paintings. The Fat Lady swallowed hard in panic. "I. . .um. . .forgot to tell you happy birthday the other day, so. . .happy birthday!" she spat out and then ran off to hide behind her frame.

"I always knew she was mental, but that's a bit weird, even for her," Ron suggested, his eyebrows creased in concern.

Harry turned around slowly, looking closer at the other paintings. In a few of them there were signs of a disturbance. A broken chair here, a smashed table there, and a few of the people in the paintings were sporting black eyes. When he finished his turn, he was looking at the painting where Sir Cadogan had taken up residence, after he had pestered Filch to move him closer to the Gryffindor dormitory. Sir Cadogan had requested this move after the Fat Lady had taken up her post as the gatekeeper to the Gryffindor dormitory again. Most of the students suspected the barmy old knight had developed quite the crush on their rotund guard. That morning, Sir Cadogan was missing from his painting and in his place was a much taller, younger looking knight dressed in plain, serviceable armor. "Where is Sir Cadogan?" Harry asked the newcomer.

The younger knight let his balled up fist relax before he turned his attention to Harry. Removing his helmet, the new knight shook out his shoulder length, blond hair. "Sir Cadogan has taken an indefinite holiday, I'm afraid," he replied and tucked his helmet under his arm.

Harry pointed to the mayhem in the other paintings. "Did you do all this?" he inquired.

The young knight smirked a little as he saw how the other paintings made it a point to look anywhere but at him. "Unfortunately, there was a small disagreement over the relative merits of gossip," he replied with a shrug. "The other paintings were spreading things about a good friend of mine that were none of their affairs. My brothers in arms and I decided to put a stop to it," he admitted casually. The knight bent slightly at the waist to get a better look at Harry's forehead. "Well, hello, Sir Harry. I thought I might get to see you here," he greeted when he saw the famous lightning bolt scar.

Harry was embarrassed by the knight suggesting he might be worthy of such a title. Not meeting the knight's eyes, he replied, "No sir, it's just plain Harry."

"Is that so?" the knight inquired. He smirked again as he put his helmet back on his head. "Perhaps _Time_ is just waiting for the right monarch to have the honor of granting you that title," he said cryptically before he closed his visor and made some minor adjustments to how the helmet was seated. Once his helmet was firmly in place, the knight's head slowly turned from side to side, keeping a constant watch on the other paintings.

As the students continued their way to the Great Hall for breakfast, Harry glanced back at the knight. "Any idea who the paintings where talking about that got the knight so upset?" he asked his friends.

Hermione scowled, deep in thought. "I have no idea who he was referring to, but something about that knight seems vaguely familiar. I just wish I could put my finger on it," she complained. Ron just shrugged his shoulders and urged the other two to move along faster with slight pushes on the small of their backs. Breakfast _was_ one of his three favorite meals after all and the sooner they got there, the sooner he could start eating.

Inside the Great Hall, Hermione looked around for the guests staying at the castle. Tonks and Ace were seated at the Huffelpuff table, chatting away while the Doctor sat at the Gryffindor table across the aisle from Ace. With one hand he spooned his breakfast into his mouth and used the other to turn the pages of one of the books Hermione had recommended. Judging by the lack of anyone sitting even remotely near him, she guessed he was having that horrid "Lungbarrow" porridge again. She decided to talk with him after his bowl had been whisked away to the kitchen to be cleaned. As the founder of the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare, she felt terrible for what ever pour elf had to scrub _that_ particular vessel.

Hermione took her customary seat at the table next to Harry and across from Ron and began to eat. In between bites of her toast and fruit, she glanced at the Doctor from time to time. As usual, Harry and Ron were oblivious to the subtle observations made by a member of the opposite sex. Ginny, not being burdened with a Y chromosone, picked up on it immediately and had to duck her head down to keep Hermione from seeing her huge grin.

The Great Hall became quieter as Prof. Dumbledore stepped up to the golden podium just in front of the faculty table. He waited until all eyes were on him before speaking. "As you are all quite aware, dark days have fallen upon the Wizarding World. It seems as though every where we look, another depressing event is looming or has just occurred," he reminded everyone. "It is with that in mind that the staff and I have decided to shout in the face of this darkness and schedule a few things for you students to look forward to with happy anticipation," he told them. "Before the start of the school year, we were forced to cancel the annual History of Magic field trip for the 5th and 6th year students. Now that we have Aurors of incredible talent staying with us as guests, the Ministry of Magics has consented to allow the field trips, so long as at least one of the Aurors travels with each group of students," he explained.

While the other students were whispering to each other excitedly, Hermoine looked over at the Doctor to see what his reaction would be. An involuntary laugh forced its way out of her when she saw the Doctor looked more excited at the prospect of an outing than the students did. Even though he was some what miffed at Dumbledore for not running this past him, the Doctor made eye contact with the headmaster and nodded. Prof. Dumbledore nodded back and waited for the murmurs to die down before continuing. "We have chosen two sights full of magical mystery for the students to explore this year. As the 5th year students are currently studying recent magical history, they will be visiting the famous Farringham scarecrow. The 6th year students will get to experience Stonehenge first hand," he announced.

The Doctor leaned across the aisle and tapped Ace on the shoulder. "If it's all right with you, I would prefer to escort the group going to Stonehenge. I all ready know all there is to know about the scarecrow," he told her.

"Now I understand the second event we have planned may indeed strike terror in even some of the bravest souls at our school, but I still think it is an excellent idea. Prof. McGonagall, would you be so kind as to tell our students what we have planned?" Dumbledore requested.

Prof. McGonagall made her way around the table and up to the podium. "We have decided to add a costume ball to our Halloween festivities this year. As this will not be a formal ball, I suggested to our headmaster that we try a tradition our friends across the Atlantic seem fond of. They call it a 'Sadie Hawkins Dance'," she told the students. "This is a type of dance where it becomes the responsibility of the girls to ask the boys to be their partners for the evening. I think it is high time you girls show the boys how it should be done, so that perhaps they will learn the proper way of doing it," she said hopefully, before relinquishing the podium back to Prof. Dumbledore.

"Thank you, Prof. McGonagall," he said graciously. "That is all the news I have for you this morning. Please enjoy breakfast and the rest of your day," he admonished cheerfully.

As soon as breakfast was over, Harry, Ron, and Hermione got up to head to their first class. The hairs on the back of Harry's neck stood up, making him pause. He looked around the room for any sign of danger. What he saw made him feel like a golden snitch dropped into the middle of a seeker convention. Ron sensed his friend's fear and looked around the room as well. "Bloody hell! You're on own for this one, mate," he muttered.

Harry spared a quick glance back at Ron, who was walking backwards slowly so as not to attract the attention of the Harry infatuated girls circling the Great Hall. "Coward!" he hissed at Ron under his breath. He quickly returned his attention to the girls making their way ever closer to him. Plastering a fake smile on his face, he desperately looked around for either the one girl he hoped would ask him to the dance or a means of a quick escape. He took a protective step backwards when the girl he was looking for was no where to be seen.

Harry's fears were soon calmed when the girl in question showed off her skills as one of Gryffindor's most talented chasers, never once taking her eyes off of her intended target. The fact that she wasn't on her broomstick or any where near the Quiditch pitch made no difference to Ginerva Weasley. Growing up with Ron had taught her that if she wanted something, she had to be the first one there, especially if one was talking about deserts. She started at the back of the room and before the other girls could react, several found themselves pushed out of the way as a red headed missile plowed through their midst. Ginny stopped a few feet away from Harry and turned to look at the other girls. The warning look she gave them made them all remember why the Gryffindor mascot was a lion. When she was sure her message had gotten across, she turned to face Harry.

"Hi, Harry," Ginny said with a smile of pure innocence, even though she might have just sent at least one girl to the hospital wing on her dash to be the first to ask Harry to the dance. "Would you like to come with me to the Halloween Ball?" she inquired.

Harry was torn, not sure what to say. On one hand, he wanted more than anything to go to the ball with Ginny; but on the other, her older brother (who was also his best friend) was standing right behind him. Harry remembered how angry Ron had become when he had caught Ginny and Dean snogging. "Ahhhh...ummm. . .", he stammered lamely.

Ron leaned over to Harry and whispered in his ear. "I know it's just Ginny, but if you say yes, it will keep those other mental harpies off your back," he suggested.

While Ron couldn't see the huge smile that had spread across Harry's face, Ginny could, and she blushed as she read his expression correctly. "I would love to go with you. Thank you for being the first to ask me," Harry told her.

Ron sighed in relief. "Thanks, mate. She gets a bit violent when she's upset. When her last pet died, she slammed a door into my face so hard, it took Mom three tries with her wand to make the bleeding stop," Ron whispered. "I owe you one," he told his friend.

Still grinning like an idiot, Harry replied, "No problem, Ron. What are friends for?"

Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron's oblivious nature. Ever since the whole Chamber of Secrets episode, Hermione (and just about everyone else but Ron) had known that Harry and Ginny were destined to be together. She looked over at the Doctor, who was watching things with a bemused smile. _Now if I can only figure out a way to ask him, maybe we can double date,_ she contemplated. She had no idea that Tonks was determined to make sure the Black CAT went to the ball with Hermione.


	12. Chapter 12

**Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

Hermione took her seat in Advanced Arithmancy and rested her head on her desk in despair. It had been a couple of weeks since Prof. McGonagall had announced the Halloween Ball and all of her female friends had managed to ask the boys they were interested in. Ginny had asked Harry within the first five minutes after it was announced, Tonks had sent a message to Remus demanding that he show up for the ball, and even Luna had remembered to ask Ron. She sighed and banged her head against the desk again while she thought of all the opportunities she had missed lately.

It had become routine for Hermione to meet the Doctor in the library after dinner. She would work on her homework and he would continue with his research into ancient magical history. Whenever she was done, he would close whatever book he was reading and they would discuss literature, magical history, or ancient languages. The Doctor proved himself to be a good listener and Hermione found herself sharing more and more with him every time they met. She had told him all about her adventures with Harry and Ron and how proud she was to have them as friends. Each night, Hermione promised herself she would ask the Doctor to the ball, but each night she chickened out.

Prof. Vector drew Hermione out of her thoughts as she walked into the room. "Good morning everyone," she greeted her advanced class. "I know that you are all excited to go on the field trip this afternoon, so I decided to skip the lesson we had planned for today," she announced. "Instead, I will offer extra credit for whoever can solve the Borusa equation," she offered and tapped the blackboard with her wand. The entire board magically filled up with esoteric symbols and numbers. Most of the class groaned, but Hermione perked up at the challenge. True, she did have a 104 percent in the class, but it never hurt to have a little padding.

After about half of an hour, Hermione had managed to solve the complex equation. She turned in her parchment and was on her way back to her desk when the Doctor burst into the room looking very confused. "Sorry. . .um, wasn't this where the boy's loo was yesterday?" he asked sheepishly.

Prof. Vector gave their guest an indulgent smile. "Quite possibly, Doctor. The castle has a habit of changing rooms around. I suppose we just get used to letting it lead us where we needed to go rather than trying to remember where rooms are," she told him.

The Doctor was about to leave so he could locate the bathroom when he noticed the equation on the board. "Ooooh, the gravimetric sub-modalities of planetary rotations in relationship to galactic drift equation. I loved this one back at the academy," he blurted out and rushed towards the board. He picked up a piece of chalk and within less than a minute had the solution written at the very bottom. "Funny thing about this equation, in addition to showing where a planet will be at any given point in time in relation to another point in space, it also describes how to make the perfect piece of toast," he told Prof. Vector.

The teacher blinked her eyes a few times in shock. Most of what the Doctor had said seemed like demented ramblings, but somehow he had managed to write the correct solution. "What did you say this equation was for?" she begged him to repeat.

The Doctor had wandered off to one of the bookshelves near the windows and was looking at the various titles. "I'm sorry, what?" he replied, having already jumped ahead to his next string of thoughts. He looked back at the blackboard and smacked his forehead. "The equation, right, sorry. It's the perfect piece of toast equation," he told her. He gestured at the first variable. "That represents what type of bread you're using based on a consistency level of 1-50. I prefer oat bread with a consistency of about 35. The second set of variables relate to temperature and atmospheric density," he explained. "Obviously that leaves the last three variables to tell you how long to leave it in for, when to spread the jam, and how often Piers Morgan will tell off his co-hosts in any particular show," he said matter-of-factly. "Never did quite understand how the last bit works, but it is surprisingly accurate," he muttered.

The Doctor was saved from any further questions by a small red imp that popped into the class room with a burst of smoke smelling of brimstone. It stood on top of one of the empty desks and bellowed, "Time to head to the entry hall and wait on the portkeys." Turning to point a red, bony finger at each student, the imp chastised the class by shouting, "Time waits for no mortal so you should all hurry up!" The class started putting their things away, but the imp decided to add some more wise words to hurry them along while it finished turning around. "Time is. . .HOLY QUARTZ VIBRATIONS!" it exclaimed and fell off the desk when it saw the Doctor. "Sorry my lord, I didn't see you there," it apologized profusely, bowing until its pointed nose touched the desk. Before the Doctor could reply, the imp vanished by turning back into a puff of smoke.

The Doctor pointed at where the imp had been. "What on, or floating in the general vicinity of Earth was that?" he inquired.

Hermione had been the first turn her parchment in, so she had plenty of time to answer the Doctor's question. He let her lead him to the door as she explained. "That was a Time imp. They're always available within the castle when you need to set an alarm," she told him. She waved her hand in front of her nose to get rid of the brimstone smell. "Most people hate using them because of their attitude problems and their stench," she confided. Pausing at the door, Hermione took a long look at the Doctor. "You're the first person I've ever seen who the imps treat with respect," she let him know.

The Doctor shook his head in wonder. Up to that point, he had always assumed Time imps were mythical creatures. They were what Time Lords blamed unexplained malfunctions in a TARDIS on. He had no idea what a real Time imp was supposed to look like, but just in case, he decided to keep these as far away from his TARDIS as possible.

**********DrW**********

The 5th and 6th year students mingled in the entryway while the teachers prepped the portkeys. Tonks and Ace lounged against the stone pillars while students walked by. Harry's group of friends caught Ace's eye, so she wandered over to see how they were doing. She grinned at the odd maneuvering Harry and Ginny were performing. Bittersweet memories of when she first started dating Sirius leapt to mind. She swallowed the lump in her throat and watched the young couple trying to come up with the perfect distance to stand from each other, close enough to almost touch, but far enough away so as to not make Ron suspicious. Luna joined the group and held Ron's hand, distracting him.

"So, any of you lot ever been to see the Farringham scarecrow before?" Ace called out. She had never heard of the thing before and hoped by getting the students to talk, she could cover up her lack of knowledge. The only students who didn't raise their hands were Harry and Hermione, which made sense considering their "Muggle" upbringing. Playing the part of a teacher, Ace went on. "Other than Hermione, who can tell me what is so special about this scarecrow?" Ace asked the group.

"It's the only magical tourist site where they encourage you to try and vandalize something," Ron explained. He noticed the confused look on Ace's face and continued. "The bloody thing is indestructible," he told her. "My dad said that Ministry Spell-breakers have been trying to figure out what it is and what kind of spell was used ever since the scarecrow popped up in 1913," he said. "The Ministry of Magical Tourism has set up some wicked cloaking shields so Muggles won't see wizards doing their best to try and hex the thing into oblivion," he said with a grin. The last time he had gone with his family, Fred and George had packed some of their more "energetic" inventions around the base and threw a blasting curse at them. The explosion left everyone's ears ringing for a day and the scarecrow without even a hint of damage. The twins did however leave with a souvenir model of the scarecrow given to them by the tour guide for the best attempt made on the enigma that year.

"If they ever bothered to ask my family, we could tell them what it was," Luna said, staring at an interesting water stain on the stone wall in front of her.

"It's Luna, isn't it?" Ace asked, wanting to make sure he had the girl's name right.

Luna gave Ace a look that older woman normally only got from the Doctor when he thought she had said something stupid. "Of course it's not me, silly. I'm right here. I can't be the scarecrow," Luna informed her, stating the obvious.

Ace furrowed her brows while she tried to determine if Luna was being sarcastic or not. Judging from the dreamy smile on the student's face, Ace guessed she was being totally serious. "Sorry, Luna, that should have been obvious to me," she apologized. "What does your family think the scarecrow is?" she inquired.

Luna had gone back to looking at the water stain. "It's an alien of course," she told Ace without turning around.

Ron used his hand to cover his eyes out of sheer embarrassment as soon as the words were out of Luna's mouth. He looked between his fingers at Ace, hoping the Black CAT wouldn't start laughing at his girlfriend. Instead of laughing, Ace took a step closer to Luna, her expression one of deadly seriousness. "Why do you think that, Luna?" Ace pressed.

Luna turned to face Ace, her expression still one of blissful ignorance. "My father and I were friends with an old woman named Joan Newman. Of course back 1913 she was known as Joan Redfern. She told us she was there when an army of scarecrows attacked the village and the school there. Her boyfriend sacrificed his life so a kindly, but powerful wizard could come in and save the day," she explained.

"Who was this kindly wizard?" Hermione asked, ever curious. Ron kicked her shin for encouraging Luna and she kicked him right back.

"She never told us his name but did describe him to us," Luna stated. "She said he was like fire and ice and rage. He's like the night, and the storm in the heart of the sun. He's ancient and forever. He burns at the centre of time and he can see the turn of the universe. And. . . he's wonderful," she quoted.

"Yeah. . .um. . .that's one theory," Ron said lamely. He took Luna's hand and distracted her by commenting on a painting.

Hermione caught Ace looking at the Doctor across the room through narrowed eyes. She misunderstood the meaning of Ace's dismissive snort. "Kindly wizard? Nah. . . couldn't be," Ace muttered.

Prof. McGonagall walked into the castle and clapped her hands once. "May I have your attention, please?" she yelled loudly. When the students quit talking she looked around and nodded. "Good. We have the portkeys set up and will you be off on your fieldtrips in a matter of moments," she informed the students. "Now remember, even though we have several 'Don't look at me' spells set up, we need to be as inconspicuous as possible," she warned them. "We need everyone to hang up their robes on the pegs over there and put on some sort of Muggle overcoat," she ordered. "Those of you without ties to the Muggle world can choose a coat or jacket from that wardrobe over there," she suggested, pointing her wand at a closet on the far wall.

The students and "Aurors" shed their robes and hung them on the hooks. Hermione was wearing her pink sweatshirt under her robe while Harry had on a simple dark gray one. Ron was wearing his favorite red sweater with the large "R" on it. Hermione smiled as she looked at the clothes the Doctor wore under his robes. The mismatch between his youthful face and antiquated style of dress made her smile. On anyone else, it would look ridiculous, but on him it seemed _right_ for some reason.

"All right, hurry, hurry," Prof. McGonagall admonished. "The portkeys have been set to only take five people at a time so as not to attract any attention," she told them. "If I may have our Aurors go first, they can make sure the area is secure. We will send the first group of students five minutes after the Aurors leave," she the chaperones know.

Tonks led them outside towards the portkeys. The Doctor had no idea what a portkey was and was somewhat disappointed when Tonks stopped in front of a weathered sign that read "Keep Off The Stones". A small Hogwarts emblem was drawn on the bottom left corner of the sign. "Ready, Doctor?" Tonks asked. When he nodded cautiously she grabbed his hand and held her other towards the sign. "On three then. One. . .two. . .three!" she counted. Tonks and the Doctor disappeared in a flash of light.

Ace walked over to a rusty rear wheel off of a farm tractor. Like the sign, it had the Hogwarts emblem scrawled on it. Prof. McGonagall put a hand on Ace's shoulder to stop her for a moment. "By the way, we aren't sending you alone to watch over the students. Alistair Moody will be meeting you when you arrive," she told her.

"Good, he owes me five galleons," Ace laughed and touched the portkey so she could endure the nauseating form of travel wizards preferred. She'd take the Doctor's driving or even travel with a Vortex Manipulator over portkeys any day.

**********DrW**********

**Farringham, Herefordshire**

Alistair "Mad Eye" Moody stood next to a bale of hay in the one of the fields making up the Oakham Farm. As soon as he saw the flash of light that indicated a portkey use, he had his wand out, pointing it at the young woman laying on the ground. "Get up, whoever you are!" he demanded.

"Get bent, you old target dummy!" Ace shouted, barely keeping the vomit at bay. She slowly got to her feet while she took a deep breath to keep her lunch down. "You owe me three and a half galleons, by the way," she told him with a warm smile, giving him the personal password they had set up. The plan had been for Ace to go around telling everyone Alistair owed her five galleons, but would ask for three and a half when she needed to prove who she was.

"Mad Eye" Moody used the magical blue orb he had received his nickname from and _looked_ at the woman claiming to be his old friend, Ace. He "saw" the various bits of future technology she had stashed on her person and the "wand" that could only belong to her. "Dorothy Ann! Where the hell have you been for the last 16 years?" he shouted. The fact that he was holding his arms open for a hug took most of the sting out of his words.

Ace hugged the battered old Auror. When she let go, she stepped back and looked at him with mock anger. "Call me that again and I'll give Jack your home address," she threatened.

"Mad Eye" held up his hands in surrender. From the very first time he had met Ace, he had known she wasn't a witch. His replacement eye had had shown him that her wand was nothing of the sort. Over the first couple of months he had known her, Ace had shown a willingness to risk her life for members of the Order of the Phoenix on several occasions. This was what had finally earned his trust. When he eventually confronted Ace about what he knew, she took him to meet her friend and fellow "Black CAT", Captain Jack Harkness.

"Anything but that!" Mad Eye begged playfully. "Anyone who flirts with me has to be out of their mind or wanting something really, really desperately. With Jack, I think it's a mixture of both," he laughed. A buzz in his pocket made him look at the portkey. "Students coming, best not to appear sentimental around them," he warned and went back to scowling.

When the students were all accounted for, their tour guide led them to the scarecrow. He told them what little the Ministry of Magic knew about its history and gave each of them a chance at blasting it. Even Mad Eye took a couple of tries, using some lesser known, but very destructive spells. When everyone had finished, Moody nudged Ace and whispered, "I'm interested in seeing if your wand has any effect on that stubborn thing."

Ace shrugged and shooed the students away from the scarecrow. She took up a firing stance in front of it and slid a bump on her wand over to set it for plasma bolts. A bright green bolt of plasma shot from the tip of her wand and struck the scarecrow center of mass. The way the plasma played over the surface and then suddenly vanished told Ace exactly what was happening in the sleepy little village of Farringham. The scarecrow had been suspended in a complex and impenetrable Time loop. There was only one race in all of the Universe that used that type of technology. Considering what planet they were on, it didn't take much to figure out which of the Time Lords had done this.

Ace was about to say something snarky about the Doctor being a "kindly wizard" when she caught motion in the cornfield out of the corner of her eye. "Everyone down! Alistair, shields!" she ordered, trusting her battle instincts.

The students dropped to the ground and Mad Eye swung his wand around in a broad circle. Sickly green energy blasts bounced off of his hastily erected shields. Four Death Eater stepped out of the fields, blasting curses flying from their wands. The only death Eater not wearing a mask addressed the captive group. "Well. . . well, if it isn't Mad Eye Moody playing wet nurse," he chuckled. He reached up and touched an engraved scarab hanging around his neck. The Death eater was instantly surrounded by a yellow glow which faded quickly.

"Damn it!" Mad Eye swore.

"Ah, Mad Eye, I see you recognize the Scarab of Ramsey. Good, that will make things easier," the Death Eater told him. "As you know, this amulet will protect me from the first three magical attacks set against me once activated," he explained. "Now here is how things are going to play out. My fellow Death Eaters and I will continue to hex your shield until it fails. When it does, you will be unable to harm me while I kill you and my friends kill off the Mudbloods and Blood Traitors among these students. The Dark Lord will be ever so pleased with me for bringing him your head, Moody," he monologued in true villainous fashion.

Ace stepped in front of Mad Eye, glaring at the lead Death Eater. "Piss off you goat buggering bastard!" she yelled while making an obscene hand gesture.

The Death Eater wearing the amulet snarled and threw a powerful curse at the shield Mad Eye was using to protect them. The force of the curse caused the old Auror to wince in pain as he struggled to keep the shield up. Sweat popped up on his brow as swiveled his glowing blue eye to look at Ace. "While I approve of your spirit, lass, I don't see how that helped much," he swore between clenched teeth.

"It helped more than you know, Alistair," Ace replied, her face set in a predatory grin. "It told me that he can see me which means that light has to be able to pass through whatever he is using for a shield," she explained while changing the settings on her wand.

"OK, so he can see us. What does that . . ." Mad eye started to say. He stopped in mid-sentence when a bright red beam lanced out of Ace's wand to strike the Death Eater in the groin. Her opponent had time to scream before she used the ultra high intensity laser to trace a line up the front of the Death Eater. The two halves of the very dead man split apart as he toppled over.

The other Death Eaters were in shock when they witnessed the gruesome end their leader had come to. They paid no attention to the fact that Mad Eye Moody, the most dangerous Dark Hunter to ever live, had dropped his shields. They definitely failed to notice that Ginny and Luna had taken their wands out. "**_STUPIFY!_**" the girls yelled while Mad Eye sent a nonverbal crushing hex into the Death Eater on his left. The wand arm of that foe shattered as the hex struck him. The other two Death Eaters fell over, paralyzed.

Once Mad Eye had collected the Death Eaters' wands, he crushed them under his artificial foot, breaking them into splinters. "They were waiting for us, which means someone in the Ministry must have told them we were coming," he spat.

Ginny and Luna were the last two students to leave and the red headed girl spun around when she heard Mad Eye speak. "Harry! We have to warn Harry!" she yelled.

Mad Eye looked at Ginny and shook his head. "I've tried to send a message to Tonks using our Order of the Phoenix coins. I even tried apparating there, but something is blocking me," he explained. "They're on their own until we figure out how to rescue them," he told her sadly.


	13. Chapter 13

**Stonehenge**

The portkey ride to Stonehenge had been unusually turbulent which resulted in Tonks and the Doctor landing flat on their backs when it deposited them on a hill near the famous monument. Tonks turned her head to look at the Doctor through the tall brown grass to see if he was all right. He met her eyes and squealed, "That . . . was . . . fantastic!" The Doctor stood up and brushed loose grass off of his jacket, smiling from ear to ear. Once his outfit was clean, he offered Tonks his hand to help her up. "That was the most entertaining ride I have ever been on, and that's saying something. I've been to just about all of the major amusement parks ever created," he told her. He looked longingly at the portkey they had just used. "Let's do it again," he suggested eagerly, ready to enjoy another thrill ride.

Tonks shook her head in wonder. She might have been an adrenaline junkie, but even she had no desire to try that portkey again so soon. Lucky for her, she had the perfect excuse not to. "Doctor, the students will be arriving in less than five minutes and we have to make sure the perimeter is secure," she reminded him.

"Right…students, sorry," the Doctor apologized sheepishly. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and scanned the surroundings, turning in a slow circle. He flicked his wrist and the top part of the screwdriver slid out further to give him a better view of the readings. "Well, let's see. Other than us, the only other person within a 2 kilometer radius is standing on the other side of that stone there," he said, pointing with the screwdriver to one of the upright stones a few meters from them.

Tonks pulled out her wand and hand it at the ready while she yelled out, "Hello, we're the group from Hogwarts."

A timid looking wizard wearing a dusty brown robe poked his head out from behind the massive, gray stone. "How do I know you're telling the truth?" he demanded before pulling his head back behind cover.

Tonks faced the Doctor, rolled her eyes, and changed her face to look like a chicken, indicating what she thought about the cowardly man. "Prof. Dumbledore said the password was 'chocolate frogs'," she shouted to the stone after she turned her face back into the one she normally wore.

The man poked his head out again and then braved showing the rest of his body. "Well, you have the right password, so I guess you probably are from the school," he acknowledged. Their tour guide looked around and frowned. "However, if you really are from Hogwarts, where are all the students?" he asked suspiciously. As if on cue, the first batch of students was dropped onto the hill near the portkey. The first five to arrive were Hermione, Harry, Ron, Neville and Dean Thomas. The rest of the students arrived in intervals until all 40 of the 6th year students were present. The Slytherins were the last to arrive.

Tonks herded the students to the outer ring of stones to begin the lesson. Their tour guide smiled weakly at the students and began his lecture. "Hello, students. My name is Prof. Historia and I am one of the researchers for Magical Archeology at the British Royal Museum," he informed the class.

At the mention of the word "Archeology" the Doctor let out a snort of laughter and pointed at the archeologist mockingly. Tonks raised her eyebrow, silently questioning him. The Doctor dropped his hand and leaned over to her, whispering behind his other hand. "Sorry about that, bad habit of mine," he admitted. While the tour guide continued with his lecture, the Doctor wandered off to the other side of Stonehenge. Harry noticed the Doctor leaving and nudged Ron and Hermione who both nodded in acknowledgement. The three of them snuck away from the group to follow the Doctor. They instinctively knew that whatever he was up to would be far more interesting than a history lecture.

Hermione watched as the Doctor waved his wand at the nearest stone. She was able to hear a high pitched whine coming from the gold and silver cylinder in his hand. When he was done, he tucked away his wand and pulled out a red rubber ball from an interior pocket of his jacket. He tossed the ball towards the stone and caught it when it bounced back to him. As soon as he caught the ball, the Doctor closed his eyes like he was doing calculations in his head. "What are you doing?" she asked him curiously.

The Doctor's eyes snapped open when he realized he wasn't alone. "I'm trying to figure out if these are the same stones that were here the last time I visited Stonehenge," he replied.

Ron looked at the Doctor with a mixture of concern and scorn on his face. "He's worse than Luna," he muttered to Harry. Harry barely succeeded in stifling a laugh. Ron put his hand on the stone the Doctor had been examining. "I'm pretty sure these have been here for a very long time. That is unless some 'aliens' came in and swapped them out recently," he joked, making fun of his girlfriend, Luna.

The Doctor stood still in shock and then whipped out his sonic screwdriver again. "I never thought of that, thanks Ron," he told the ginger Gryffindor. He pointed the screwdriver at the ground and took more readings. "Nope, nothing more than the odd mat-trans residue from the occasional cruise ship excursion. Nothing capable of moving these stones," he confirmed. "Oh, and these aren't really stones. They're actually crystalline multi-waveform energy resonators and amplifiers," he mentioned.

"Huh?" Ron blurted, having no idea what the Doctor was talking about.

Before Ron could continue, Hermione held up her hand for him to stop. She stepped closer to the Doctor while he ran his hand over the stone. "Doctor, you said you weren't certain these were the same stones as when you were last here," she paraphrased, deciding to break down what the Doctor was saying into individual concepts. "What makes you think they could be different?" she inquired.

"I'm not sure if I can explain it in a way that would make sense to you," the Doctor replied.

"Try me," Hermione said tersely. She wasn't used to having her intelligence questioned.

The Doctor laid his hand on Hermione's shoulder. "It's not that I don't think you're bright enough," he told her, reading her expressions correctly. "I know you're bright, brilliant actually, but the problem lies in the English language. It doesn't have the words necessary to convey some of the concepts," he explained. Hermione gave the Doctor a cold stare, but took no action to remove the Doctor's hand. He realized how close he was standing to her, and took a self-conscious step back, letting his hand drop to his side. "Have you ever heard of something called the Pandorica?" he asked the three students.

Ron and Hermione raised their hands, while Harry shrugged his shoulders. "The Durselys really kept you isolated, didn't they?" Ron remarked.

"I was locked in that cupboard under the stairs for most of the time before I made it to Hogwarts. I've never even heard of half the things most people talk about, Muggle or Wizard," Harry admitted.

The Doctor had never met the Durselys, but he promised himself if he ever did, he would give them a piece of his mind. Several alien species could testify that the fury of the Oncoming Storm was not something you ever wanted to be on the receiving end of. Not wanting to lose his temper, the Doctor went back to their original topic. "All right, Hermione or Ron, tell me what you know," he ordered.

Hermione took in a deep breath and squared her shoulders; something Ron and Harry knew meant she was switching into bookworm mode. "According to most of the books I have read, the Pandorica is a myth," she told the Doctor.

"Myth?" Ron blurted. "It is not. My aunt said she actually saw it in the museum once. Of course when she looked back, there was nothing there," he replied. "She would have thought it was just a hallucination, except for how detailed the image was, right down to the signs saying not to touch it," he said, defending his aunt.

"Hermione, you told me what the books say, but what do you think?" the Doctor pressed.

Hermione looked at the Doctor skeptically, but then became more thoughtful as she realized the Doctor wouldn't be asking about the Pandorica for no reason. "It's hard to believe in something that people, including museum curators, swear to have seen, but fails to provide any real evidence of its existence, including photos," she told him.

The Doctor furrowed his brows in thought. He smacked his forehead and spun around on his heel. "Of course, why didn't I figure that out earlier? It's so obvious!" he exclaimed.

"Doctor, not everybody thinks like you," Hermione reminded him.

"Thank god!" Ron muttered.

Hermione gave Ron a dirty look and then went back to speaking with the Doctor. "What is so obvious?" she questioned.

The Doctor hopped once in excitement and did a little dance. "The Pandorica is both here and not here at the same time. It's the link between two universes and exists in a state of quantum superposition," he told her, barely able to contain himself. Ron looked at Harry, who just shrugged, not following the Doctor's explanation either.

"Oh, you mean like Schrödinger's cat," Hermione interjected.

The Doctor frowned at Hermione. "No, they are absolutely nothing alike. Bob is really quite a nice being once you get to know him and the Pandorica . . ." he shuddered at the last bit, not able to express his dislike for the prison built just for him. Hermione stood with her hands on hips, clearly annoyed with him. "Um . . . you meant they both exist in a state of quantum superposition, didn't you?" he asked for clarification. Hermione nodded once. "Yes, well, in that regards I guess they are similar," he admitted.

The Doctor was distracted from further analysis by a shadow passing over Stonehenge while the temperature dropped several degrees. He reached into his dimensionally transcendental pocket and pulled out a pair of binoculars. Hermione noticed the binoculars had the same wings coming out of a globe symbol as her father's pair did. The Doctor looked up at the strange cloud that was gathering above them. He dialed up the strength until he could make out individuals creatures within the cloud. "This is very not good," he said to no one in particular. He held his hand with the binoculars behind him, offering someone else the chance to use them.

Harry took the binoculars and tried to adjust them for his poor vision. While he did that, a layer of frost started to form on the grass as the temperature dropped even further. "No!" Harry swore when he was finally able to see what the cloud really was.

"What do you see, Harry?" Ron asked, not sure he wanted to know the answer.

Harry put down the binoculars and took out his wand. "Dementors!" he shouted. "Hundreds, maybe thousands of them," he added. Harry turned towards where the rest of the class was still being bored to tears. Harry ran towards them, yelling, "Tonks, it's a trap! Dementors!"

"What did he say?" the Doctor asked in surprise.

Hermione took the binoculars from Ron and looked into the cloud. "He said 'Dementors', Doctor," she replied while confirming what Harry saw.

"How would he know what a Dementor is?" the Doctor demanded.  
>Hermione glared at the Doctor. "They've been tormenting him ever since our third year at school," she told him.<p>

The Doctor ran his hand through his hair and bit his lip as he tried to think. "This is even worse than I thought. I never dreamed they would make it to Earth," he muttered.

Tonks heard Harry's yell and grabbed the students nearest to the portkey. She didn't have time to wonder why the Slytherins were all standing so close to their only way out of there. "Grab hold and tell Prof. Dumbledore what is happening," she ordered Draco as she shoved him towards the sign. Tonks also missed the smile of satisfaction on Draco's face as he reached for the portkey.

Draco's smile faltered when nothing happened after he touched the sign. He slammed his hand on the sign and still nothing happened. "Why isn't this working? It's supposed to be working!" he yelled, with a mixture of fear and anger.

The Doctor stepped out from the stone circle and took another reading with his sonic screwdriver. He looked over his shoulder at Hermione who was leaning against one of the stones, concern evident in her eyes. He tried to smile comfortingly at her. "Nothing to worry about. The last time I was here I was facing even worse odds," he told her. "Of course, I _did_have a legion of Roman soldiers with me at the time," he added absently. Hermione looked at him like he was crazy. She was stopped from asking the Doctor to explain himself by Tonks running up to them.

"The portkey won't work and I tried to apparate over here. That didn't work either, Doctor," she informed him. Suddenly remembering the Order of the coin she carried, she pulled it out and tried to contact Mad Eye. She shoved the coin back into the pocket of her robe in disgust when it refused to work as well. "The Dementors are blocking our escape and magical communications," she spat. Aiming her wand at the cloud she yelled, "_**EXPACTO PATRONUM!**_" An immense four-legged creature vaguely reminiscent of a werewolf shot into the cloud of Dementors. The silvery construct was swallowed up almost instantly by the black, evil swarm. "At least we know the rest of our magic works," she sighed. "All though I doubt even Harry can produce a Patronus strong enough to drive away all of those soul suckers," she said sadly.

Hermione watched Tonks' Patronus all the way until it was overwhelmed. She looked back at the pink haired Auror curiously. "I thought your Patronus was a chameleon," she stated.

"Sometimes a person's Patronus can change, but it only happens when that person falls in love with all of their heart with the one person they are meant to be with," Tonks replied, blushing slightly. Hermione smiled knowingly, grateful her friend had found her soulmate.

The Doctor stepped back into the stone circle. "Any ideas how the Dementors are doing this?" he asked the group.

"My guess is that the Dementors are willing any form of magical movement to be stopped, but that would mean most of them would have to be concentrating on nothing else," Hermione speculated. "Of course _most_of the Dementors still leaves a couple hundred to wear us down and then devour our souls," she complained. She knew exactly how hopeless their chances were and looked at the Doctor. Knowing she might never get another chance, she took in a deep breath to gather her courage. She stepped forward and took the Doctor's hand. "Doctor, if we make it out of here, will you be my date for the Halloween dance?" she requested quickly.

The Doctor squeezed her hand, surprised, but flattered by her attentions. "I would be honored, Miss Granger," he replied solemnly. When she started to pull her hand away, the Doctor squeezed even harder. "I mean it, Hermione. I can't imagine anyone I would rather go to the dance with," he told her before letting go. Tonks sighed in relief while watching the Doctor and Hermione. She had been running interference with the entire female staff (save Prof. McGonagall) in an effort to allow Hermione to be the first one to ask the Doctor.

Hermione's affection for the Doctor made his protective instincts kick in even more. A frown darkened his face as a plan started to take form in his mind. "Tonks, how long would the Dementors have to be distracted to get everybody out of here using the portkey?" he demanded.

Tonks looked back at the sign with the Hogwarts symbol written on it. "Once I deactivate the safety spell on it, it can transport as many people as can touch it. I'm guessing about ten people can touch it at a time. All told, giving a 30 second reset time, it would take about five minutes I suppose," Tonks replied.

"I don't see how the five of us can distract those things long enough for everyone to escape," Ron complained. "Besides, once the first group leaves, the Dementors will know something is up and start focusing again," he pointed out. "We're screwed," he said bluntly.

"You're absolutely right, Ronald, the five of us could never distract all of them long enough," the Doctor agreed. _But perhaps I can do it by myself,_he thought. The Doctor had recognized the Dementors as soon as he saw them. He knew they were alien and where they came from. He also knew that they were one of the few species which could kill a Time Lord permanently, with no hope of regeneration. The Doctor had a sad look in his eyes as he offered his hand to Tonks. "It has been a pleasure meeting you, Auror Tonks," he told her. Tonks shook his hand, thinking the Doctor had given up. Her face fell as hope left her.

The Doctor turned to face Ron and offered his hand to him. "Never let anybody give you a hard time about your hair, Ron. One of my best friends has hair just like yours, not to mention the fact that I've always wanted to be a ginger," he joked. Ron shook his hand, not knowing what to say. The Doctor offered his hand to Harry. "I know what it feels like to be a chosen one. Never forget there are people who care for you and draw your strength from them," he said wisely.

"I'll try and remember that," Harry replied, shaking the Doctor's hand. He pointed his wand over the other man's shoulder and shouted, "_**EXPACTO PATRONUM!**_", driving away a Dementor that had broken off from the swarm to try and be the first one fed.

The Doctor only spared a glance at the retreating Dementor before focusing his attention on Hermione. Instead of offering to shake her hand, the Doctor reached up to brush her cheek gently. "Hermione . . . all I can tell you is . . ." he started to say, looking for the right words. "Just be brilliant as you always are," he suggested. Before she could react, the Doctor leaned forward and gave her an ever so brief kiss on the lips. They both felt the jolt that comes from a first kiss. While she was recovering, the Doctor put both hands on her shoulders and shoved her to the ground so she wouldn't be able to stop him as he turned to face the outside of the circle. He spotted the fallen stone he was looking forward and dashed towards it, muttering, "Never thought I would get to do this again."

"Doctor!" Tonks screamed after him. She tried to go after him and drag him back to safety, but was stopped by Ron and Harry.

"He has a plan . . . I think," Harry told her. "Let him try," he ordered.

Hermione sat where the Doctor had pushed her, her hand raised to her lips. "Be brilliant . . . be brilliant," she repeated over and over.

Ron looked down and Hermione and sighed. He bent down and took her other hand while she kept repeating those two words. "Harry, looks like Hermione is broken," he informed his best friend.

Harry tore his eyes away from the Doctor and looked at Hermione. "I hope he knows what he is doing," he prayed.

The Doctor scampered up onto the fallen stone and switched his sonic screwdriver to broadcast mode. "Hello . . . hello . . . is thing on," his voice boomed and echoed around Stonehenge. Judging from the shocked looks coming from the students, he decided it was working. The Doctor looked skyward while holding the sonic screwdriver in front of his face. "May I have your attention please? Yes, I mean you up there," he started. "We need to have a talk, and I'm fairly certain you will want to hear what I have to say," he told the Dementors. A few of the figures dressed in black rags broke off from the main group and started to float towards him. "Why should we listen to a mad man on a rock? Glad you asked," the Doctor continued. "You see, unlike everyone else here, I know what you truly are and where you came from," he said calmly. More of the Dementors broke off and started in his direction, curious as to what the mortal had to say. "He could be bluffing, you say. Well, that is a good possibility, but I'm not. How about we go over some things to prove it?" he offered.

The Doctor looked over at Stonehenge proper and saw his friends were safely far enough away. He looked back up at the Dementors. "Let's see, where should I start?" he asked rhetorically. "You aren't native to this planet, in fact you were spawned a very, very long way from here," he told them. "You are the offspring of the horrible creature known as the 'Nightmare Child'," he said, proving he knew their origins. About half of the Dementors broke free from the swarm to move towards the Doctor with all of the speed and crushing power of a glacier. "How do I know this, you ask? Again, another good question," he stated. "I was there when dear old papa birthed you in the instant before he was cast into the Void and obliterated. I'm the only being in the Universe that witnessed that particular event," he explained. "You see, I was the one that forced the Nightmare Child into non-existence and wiped its disgusting form from reality," he called out.

The majority of the Dementors redirected their attention to the Doctor, allowing Tonks the opening she needed to apparate to the portkey and remove the safety spell. As soon as she was done, she ordered the first group of students to touch the portkey and leave.

The Doctor was silent for a moment while he let his words sink in. "I'm the one who stopped the Nightmare Child and the Could-Have-Been King with his army of Meanwhiles and Never-Weres," he went on. The Dementors let loose with a terrifying shriek that made fingernails on a chalkboard pleasant in comparison. "I'm fairly certain you know who I am, but just in case . . ." he assured the Dementors. He raised his screwdriver in defiantly towards the sky and shouted at the top of his lungs, "I . . . AM . . . THE . . . DOCTOR!" He glared at the advancing cloud of evil with all of the authority and power that was due him as last of the Time Lords. "And you lot have come to the wrong planet," he added in a softer, but bone chilling tone. The Dementors all shrieked as one and dove towards the Doctor who jumped off of the fallen stone. He ran in the opposite direction of the students, drawing the creatures away.

Hermione snapped out of her trance with a final, "Be brilliant . . . be brilliant." She grabbed Ron's arm and pointed his wand at the swarm of Dementors chasing the Doctor. "Try to cover him as best you can," she ordered. Ron nodded and sent Patronus after Patronus above the Doctor's head in an attempt to buy him some time.

Harry was about to join Ron, but Hermione forced his arm down. "No. You have the strongest Patronus of anyone I know. We need it here," she commanded. Harry couldn't believe his ears. He knew she was right, but he still couldn't believe Hermione didn't want to help the Doctor in his final moments.

Hermione looked around the ring of upright stones, doing quick calculations in her head. She drug Harry to a spot near the opening of the circle. "I need you to cast your Patronus at that stone there," she said, pointing with her hand.

"Why? What will that accomplish?" Harry questioned.

"You heard the Doctor. These stones act as multi-waveform resonator and amplifiers," Hermione reminded Harry. She saw the blank look on Harry's face. "Just do it!" she ordered.

Harry pointed his wand at the stone and shouted, "_**EXPACTO PATRONUM!**_" A silvery stag leapt out of his wand and ran into the stone, only to disappear. Hermione's heart sank, thinking she had jumped to the wrong conclusion. Suddenly, the stag ran out of the stone and into the next one in the circle. The wait until it reappeared was shorter and shorter as it went from stone to stone. By the time the stag returned to the original stone, it was moving so fast, it was only a blur. Soon, it was moving so fast, there was a continuous ring of silvery light connecting the standing stones.

As the stones began to glow with the silvery light of Harry's Patronus, beams of silver colored light lanced out from each of the stones to meet in the air a hundred meters above them. Where the light beams met, a swirling ball of energy formed. The beams shut off and the standing stones went back to normal as a three story tall stag stepped out the energy ball. The stag reared up on its hind legs and then charged the swarm of Dementors.

The Doctor had managed to run quite a ways before he stepped wrong on the uneven terrain and fell to the ground. He was knocked onto his back by a Dementor while others lined up to feed off him. Hermione and the rest of the people back at Stonehenge could hear his screams of anguish as Dementor after Dementor swooped down and fed on his happy memories. He was in so much agony that he didn't notice the giant stag racing towards him. The Dementors were so focused on punishing the being that had destroyed their parent, they also didn't notice the Patronus until it was too late. Most of the Dementors were either vaporized instantly on knocked clear out of Earth's orbit by the charging symbol of what was good and worth living for, the opposing forces being so great. The Dementors that remained scattered and fled in terror as fast as they could fly.

The Doctor fought to remain conscious. He blacked out for a moment and then opened his eyes again. Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Tonks were standing over him when he struggled to stay awake. Hermione looked like she couldn't decide what she was feeling more, anger or relief. "Honestly, Doctor! 'Be brilliant' . . . that was the best advice you could come up with?" she huffed before dropping to her knees to hold his hand.

Harry and Ron knelt on the other side of him. The last thing the Doctor heard before slipping back into unconsciousness was Ron's voice. "You're going to have to try harder than that if you want to get out of going to the dance with Hermione, mate," Ron joked.


	14. Chapter 14

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

The entryway into the ancient castle of Hogwarts was a scene of barely controlled chaos. The 5th year students had arrived in a state of shock and had to be shepherded by their respective House heads. The last to arrive from the Farringham outing were Ginny, Luna, Mad Eye, and Ace. Mad Eye was leading Ace by the arm and helped her to the stairs where he ordered her to sit.

Prof. McGonagall motioned for Mad Eye to join her. He patted Ace on the shoulder and limped over to talk with McGonagall. When he was close enough, she started with her questions, never once taking her eyes off of her students. "What happened, Alistair?" she begged.

Mad Eye spat on the freshly scrubbed floor in disgust. "It was a trap, Minerva. The bloody Death munchers were waiting for us," he told her sourly. "Bastards wanted to kill off all of the non-pure blood students. If it weren't for Ace over there, they probably would have succeeded," he swore. McGonagall covered her mouth in shock and dismay. "Have you had any word on the 6th years?" he asked suddenly.

McGonagall shook her head sadly. "Not a word. As soon as the first batch of your students arrived, I ran past the barrier and tried to apparate to Stonehenge. Something dark blocked me from getting there," she explained. "I gather your Order coin failed to work just as ours did?" she asked. Mad Eye just nodded.

McGonagall spared a glance at Ace, worried about younger woman. Ace was still where Mad Eye had left her, a haunted look in her eyes. "Did a Death Eater hurt Ace?" Prof. McGonagall inquired, wondering if she should have Ace moved to the hospital wing. She wasn't prepared for Mad Eye laughing in response to her question.

"Ace . . . hurt? Not hardly!" Mad Eye laughed. "I would say it's the other way around. Ace had to use force on one the Death Eaters in order for us to survive. Of course, now that I think about it, he really didn't hurt for very long," he chuckled. Prof. McGonagall tilted her head, inviting Mad Eye to go on. "Our _sweet_ little Ace over there used a _spell_ to slice that piece of scum from testicles to spectacles," he said approvingly. Prof. Flitwick wandered past and couldn't help but overhear. Without realizing it, the diminutive Charms instructor glanced over at Ace and put a protective hand over his groin before hurrying along.

"Poor girl," Prof. McGonagall whispered. She was glad to see that the taking of another person's life was still able to affect the Black CAT like it did. It proved her heart was still in the right place. "I'll go speak with her," she offered and started to make her way towards Ace. She was stopped by Mad Eye's hand on her arm.

"Not this time, Minerva," Mad Eye said, shaking his head. "You've never taken another human life before. She needs to talk with someone who knows what she is going through," he explained. McGonagall nodded silently and stepped back.

Ace had recovered enough to glance at Mad Eye when he sat on the step next to her. He pulled a silver flask with ornate runes on it from his jacket. Holding up the flask he pointed to the runes and explained proudly, "Keeps what's inside the flask fresh and warm." Twisting off the cap, he offered it to Ace. Operating on autopilot, Ace took the flask and drank some of the liquid. As soon as the liquid touched her tongue, she gave Mad Eye a quizzical look. "Is that what I think it is?" she inquired, finding it hard to believe her own taste buds.

Mad Eye chuckled while he took the flask back. He leaned his scarred face next to her ear. "Yes it is, and I would appreciate it if you wouldn't tell anyone," he whispered.

Even with Mad Eye asking her to be discreet about his flask, Ace had to ask. "That _was_ Chamomile tea in there, right?" she whispered, just to make sure she wasn't hallucinating.

"Regular stuff gives me the jitters and you should know I  
>never touch alcohol, dulls my senses," Mad Eye replied. He looked into Ace's eyes with his one good one. "I know you've seen plenty of action, but that was the first person you've killed, wasn't it?" he gently prodded, his voice unusually soft.<p>

"I lost track of the number of. . ." Ace started to say before looking around to make sure they weren't being ease dropped on. "Well, you know . . . other things that I've had to kill. I never thought that killing another human would feel so different," she whispered. "I can't get the image of that arsehole sliding apart in two pieces out of my head," she admitted.

Mad Eye put an arm around Ace's shoulder and offered her another swig of tea. "I can still remember the first dark wizard that I had to kill. Every face, of every person I killed, is still fresh in my memory," he told her. He squeezed her shoulder and then dropped his arm into his lap. "It's what sets us apart from the likes of those bastards who tried to kill us. We regret every life that is taken while they revel in it like pigs in slop. And while you're thinking on those Death Eaters, never forget that they tried to kill us and a bunch of defenseless students," he stated sternly. Luna and Ginny caught his eye and made him amend his statement, "Well, perhaps not all of them were defenseless."

Ace took another drink of tea before responding. "How do you deal with the memories?" she inquired. "Killing that man is repeating in my head like an 80's pop-song on constant repeat," she complained.

Mad Eye cringed at the comparison she had made. He had used a couple of albums from that time period as psychological torture when trying to get information out of a few dark wizards. "Every person is different, Ace, but what works for me is to come up an equally shocking image to cancel it out," he offered.

Ace gave Mad Eye a weak smile. "Tonight was pretty horrific. I can't think of anything equally disturbing. Do you have any ideas?" she asked, willing to try anything to get the image out of her head.

"You do realize you're asking someone who the other wizards consider bat-shit crazy, right?" Mad Eye replied. "The only other wizard more unhinged than me is Luna's father, Xenophilius," he told her with a grin. This drew out a brief chuckle from Ace. "All right, just remember that you asked for this," he warned. Mad Eye paused for dramatic effect before going on. "Remember how I told you your pal Jack hit on me?" he asked. Ace nodded once. "Well . . . I just might have taken him up on his offer once or twice," he admitted.

Ace stared straight ahead while what he said sunk in. As soon as her brain processed the message, her eyes grew wide at what he was implying. "OH . . . MY . . . GOD!" she swore. "Please tell me you're joking," she begged.

Mad Eye gave Ace another of his rare smiles. "Maybe I am or maybe I'm not," he replied. "Point is, that's one non-death related image you will never, ever get out of your head," he joked.

Looking around for any of the staff at Hogwarts, Ace muttered, "I'm sure I can get at least one of them to obliviate me."

An electrical discharge sounded through the entry room while the Stonehenge portkey appeared in the center of the floor. Ten students, all Slytherin, were hanging on to it. They let go and the portkey returned to Stonehenge to retrieve the rest of the students. "Slytherins, over here, now!" Snape shouted, motioning with his wand to a nearby wall.

The portkey returned three more times bringing back students. A worried look crossed Prof. McGonagall's face when she noticed the Gryffindors were three students short. The Doctor and Tonks were absent as well. Several minutes went past before the portkey returned for a final time, bearing their missing friends. Harry and Hermione were supporting an unconscious Doctor between them.

"Professor!" Ace exclaimed and ran to help her foster father. She reached his side and took over for Harry. "What happened?" she demanded. Prof. McGonagall made her way to her students, desperately wanting to know the same thing.

Tonks ran her hand through her short hair which was changing colors every couple of seconds, a sign of extreme stress in metamorphs. "We were attacked by Dementors," she said somberly.

"How many were there?" Prof. McGonagall asked once she saw the look of total amazement in the young Auror's eyes.

"All of them," Tonks replied slowly. "I'm willing to bet my entire vault at Gringots that every Dementor on Earth got together to do us in," she exclaimed. "There was no way our Patronus were going to hold off even a fraction of them, so the Doctor ran out of the stone ring and told the Dementors to piss off. I don't pretend to understand most of what he said, but he definitely got the Dementors' attention. He was able to get every last one of them so angry that they all chased after him. He managed to lead the swarm away from the students," she explained.

"Good lord," Prof. McGonagall swore softly.

Ace brushed a bit of hair out of the Doctor's face and whispered, "That's my Professor."

"How did you all survive?" McGonagall asked looking at her students and the Auror, totally mystified as to how they managed to pull off another miraculous escape.

Tonks jerked her thumb over her shoulder at Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Ron managed to hold off some of the Dementors attacking the Doctor while Hermione figured out a way to use Stonehenge to amplify Harry's Patronus. I saw it with my own eyes and I still can't believe I witnessed a three story tall Patronus," she babbled.

Draco sneered at the mention of the Gryffindors saving the day once again. As far as he was concerned, if Harry would simply have the common decency to die, none of that would have happened. Ron caught Draco's sneer and yelled over to the group of Slytherins. "Why do you look so surprised, Malfoy? Everyone else in the school knew Harry's was bigger than yours," he taunted.

"Weasley!" Prof. McGonagall said sternly.

Ron tried to look innocent. "What? I was talking about their Patronus," he said, defending himself.

Giving Ron a look over the top of her glasses that she had mastered through years of teaching. "Yes, I'm sure you were," she replied. She returned her gaze to the Doctor. "Well, get this brave fool off to the hospital wing immediately," she told the young women supporting him.

"NO!" Ace shouted quickly. She saw the looks of confusion on everyone's face and knew she had to improvise quickly. "Um . . . he can't go there because of . . .," she stammered, trying to think of a way to keep the Doctor's unusual nature secret. "We have top secret rune tattoos that only Black CATs receive. If someone else sees them, we're obligated by the Crown Secrets Act to obliviate anyone who might have been the area," she lied.

Prof. McGonagall wasn't buying it, but guessed there was something the Doctor wanted kept secret and decided to honor his wishes. "As you suggest, Auror McShane," she said formally. "Potter, Weasley, help Ace and Miss Granger get the Doctor back to his quarters and then report to the Headmaster's office. I'm sure Prof. Dumbledore will want to hear everything," she ordered.

**********DrW**********

The Doctor slowly swam back to consciousness. The first thing he was aware of was the mild headache he was experiencing. The next thing that demanded his attention was a horrible taste in his mouth. He moved on to his other senses and his inner ear told him he was horizontal. His back let him know he was on a bed. He opened his bleary eyes and looked over at Ace who was reading some sort of wizard celebrity magazine. "Would you mind telling me why my mouth tastes like a urinal at the Willy Wonka factory?" he moaned.

Ace threw the magazine to the side and hugged her foster father. A smile crossed her face at his unusual question. "Tonks said that chocolate was the best medicine for after a Dementor attack. You've been out for the last three days, so we've had to force feed it to you. I'm guessing the other thing you taste is the filth left over from those nasty bastards," she explained.

"Chocolate? Yes, actually that makes sense. Dementors feed off of happy feelings and the phenylethylamine in the coco would restore some of the lost neurotransmitters," the Doctor surmised. "Luckily, my neurotransmitters are similar enough to a human's that it did repair some things, but I'm still unbalanced," he told Ace.

"I've known that for years, Professor," Ace muttered softly.

The Doctor scowled at Ace and replied, "Wonderful, a Time traveling comedian." He propped himself up on his elbows and then scooted into a sitting position. "What I really need right now is a strong cup of tea. The tannin molecules should put me right," he told her. As soon as he stopped speaking, a white porcelain tea set appeared on the end table next to his bed.

Ace poured the Doctor a steaming cup of tea and waited while he drank the whole thing. When he was done, Ace took the cup from him and put it back on the table. "Better?" she inquired.

"Much, thank you," he replied. "And my thanks to whomever or whatever handles the food in this place. The tea was wonderful," he shouted into thin air. "Not that I'm complaining, mind you, but how am I still alive?" he asked.

"What's the last thing you remember, Professor?" Ace inquired.

A weak smile crossed the Doctor's face as he remembered kissing Hermione, telling the Dementors to piss off, and running as fast as he could to give the students a chance for survival. He decided not to share that first bit with Ace. "Well, I yelled at the Dementors and ran off. The last thing I can recall is tripping and falling on the ground. After that it's a blur of misery and pain," he replied.

Ace chuckled a bit. "Your young friends worked as a team to save the day, something Prof. Dumbledore says they do quite often," she told him. "Ron kept the Dementors off of you as long as he could while Hermione came up with a brilliant plan to use the stone ring to amplify Harry's Patronus charm," she explained.

The Doctor smacked his forehead, causing him to wince a bit. "Why didn't I think of that?" he asked rhetorically.

"Probably because you were too busy being the bloody hero and risking your life for others," Ace replied sarcastically. "You're lucky Hermione was there, Professor. She a brilliant one," she told him. "I also think she has a bit of a thing for you," she said slyly.

"Um . . . well . . . ah," the Doctor stammered.

Ace caught how uncomfortable the nearly millennium old alien seemed to be on the topic. She grinned as she realized what could possibly mean. "Feelings mutual, are they?" she pressed.

"No, of course . . . well, maybe . . .probably yes. I'm not really good with these types of things," the Doctor admitted.

Ace put on a mock look of surprise. "Really? I would never have guessed. Come to think of it, I always sorta thought you were bent," she teased him.

"What?" the Doctor exclaimed. "Not that there's anything wrong with being bent, but I haven't been since my second life," he scolded her. Ace laughed at him, glad she was still able to get his goat after several years apart. "Ha, ha," he said sourly. Swinging his legs off of the bed, he stood up, and reached over for his tie and jacket. "If you'll excuse me, I need to head to the bathroom," he said and stepped passed Ace.

Ace put her hand on the Doctor's arm to stop him for a moment. "Just so you know, Miss Granger has spent nearly all of her free time watching over you. I took over just a little while ago so she could grab something to eat," she told him and watched his expression lighten.

**********DrW**********

Hermione ran through the old castle on her way to the library. She had gone straight from dinner to the Doctor's room only to find he had wandered off. Madam Pince scowled at Hermione when she hit the doors at a dead run. The look the librarian gave her froze Hermione to the spot. "Sorry, Madam Pince," she apologized. With a deep sigh, the elderly woman jerked her heads towards the Magical History section and then went back to sorting through a rather dusty stack of books, some of which were doing their best to hop off the table. Hermione walked quickly through the large shelves full of books towards the rear of the library.

The Doctor saw Hermione coming and leaned casually against one of the ancient book shelves. When she was within earshot, he motioned with his hand towards a nearby table that already had several books on it. "I reserved our favorite table," he told her, even though they were the only ones besides Madam Pince in the cavernous library.

"Doctor!" Hermione squealed and hugged him. They both realized what was happening and the hug ended with the pair of them stepping back, looking anywhere but at each other. "I mean, glad to see you feeling better, Doctor," she said awkwardly.

The Doctor went back to leaning on the book shelves. "Ace tells me that I have a certain young witch to thank for that," he told Hermione.

A slight flush made its way to Hermione's cheeks. "Well, I did have some pretty good advice, even if it was rather vague," she replied. "Honestly, Doctor, couldn't you have been more specific and just told me to use the stones to amplify a Patronus?" she wondered.

The Doctor sat down at _their_ table and motioned for Hermione to sit. He waited until she dropped her book bag on the table and sat down as well. "In hindsight, what you did makes perfect sense and was a wonderful example of applied physics. However, it never even occurred to me until Ace said something just a bit ago," he admitted. Using a mock conspiratorial whisper he added, "I'm not used to having someone as bright as me along. Glad I did that time."

Hermione's blush deepened. She glanced down at the table, wondering how she would ask what she had been agonizing over while she had kept watch over him. "Um, Doctor, can we talk about what happened before you ran off and tried to get yourself killed?" she asked, not meeting his eyes. He gulped loudly and nodded. "I know I asked you to the dance, but I don't want you to feel like you have to go," she stated.

"Are you withdrawing your offer, Miss Granger?" the Doctor asked with a slight bit of disappointment in his voice.

Hermione heard the catch in his voice and looked up at him hopefully. "No, no . . . I just didn't want you to think you were obligated to go with me," she replied.

With a boyish grin, the Doctor decided to take a chance for once and softly murmured, "You know, I could have just pushed you down to make my escape. I didn't have to add that other bit." He reached out his hand across the table and offered it to her. Hermione's heart leapt and she felt she could have flown around the castle without a broomstick. She slowly reached across her part of the table to take his hand.

Right before their hands touched, the Doctor snatched his away and held both hands over his ears as if trying to block out some extremely loud sound. He looked at Hermione and she thought she saw a mixture of terror and hope in his eyes. "I have to go," he said suddenly and ran past her to get out of the library.

"Doctor?" was the only thing a shocked Hermione could get out.

The Doctor ran past Madam Pince and completely ignored her angry outburst at a second person running in her library. When the Doctor made it into the hallway, he closed his eyes to focus on the sounds only he was able to hear. He decided it was louder on his right side and ran off in that direction. The sound he heard was the voice of a young woman crying out for help, **_Help me! Help find me! It's time!_**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

Harry Potter made his way back to the Gryffindor dormitory alone after dinner. The evening meal had been much quieter than usual and that left him feeling uneasy. Ginny had not shown up to eat so Ron had gone looking for her. Hermione finished eating in record time and went off to look after the Doctor. That really only left him and Neville. Even though he thought of Neville as a good friend, they really didn't have many interests in common.

When Harry reached the Fat Lady portrait, she wouldn't meet his eyes. "Harry, you know that I can't keep ghosts out of the dorm, right?" she asked cautiously. When Harry nodded, she let out a sigh of relief. "For the record, I did tell Peeves to get lost, but he floated right through me anyway!" she said indignantly.

"Now what?" Harry moaned. He quickly said the password so he could get inside and find out what had happened, "Lions rule; snakes drool!" It still made him smile when he thought about how Hermione had gone on for hours after the newest password change saying that snakes didn't have the saliva glands necessary to drool, totally missing the point. The Fat Lady swung away from the wall to reveal the opening to the Gryffindor common room and Harry rushed through.

Everything in the common room looked to be in place once Harry stepped inside. He felt slightly relieved until he saw Ron on the couch trying to comfort his sister, Ginny. The thought that Peeves had done anything to upset her made Harry want to find away to kill the annoying ghost a second time. He rushed over to where they were sitting. "Ginny, what's wrong?" he asked gently, his feelings for her evident in his voice. When she didn't answer right away, Harry looked at his best mate. "Ron, what's going on?" he inquired.

Harry could see warring emotions cross Ron's face. Eventually Ron frowned, muttered, "Sorry mate, not my place to say." This caught Harry completely by surprise. Usually Ron had a bit of a problem with saying whatever was on his mind, regardless of how people would take it. Ron looked at Ginny and took her hand. "I can't tell you what to do, but I can say that if there is any person on this Earth that would understand, it's Harry," he whispered so only Ginny could hear. She squeezed his hand and nodded, relieved to finally let the man she had fallen head over heels for know her secret.

Ron started to get up, but Ginny held on to his hand. "You can stay," Ginny said softly. He let go of her hand and instead of completely getting up, scooted further down the couch to give Harry room to sit next to Ginny. While Harry sat, Ginny sniffled once and brushed her long, red hair out of her face. "Sorry Harry, I just get a bit sad every year on this day," she apologized. Harry stayed silent, letting her tell him what was on her mind in her own time. Ginny took in a long breath, not quite sure how to share something her parents had forbid. She knew they would understand; it was Harry after all.

Ron caught his sister's pause and decided to get the ball rolling. "Harry, do you know how long it's been since a girl was born into the Weasley family?" he asked.

"I have no idea," Harry replied.

"Ten generations. Our great-great-great-you get the idea- grandfather pissed off a really powerful witch and she cursed our family to only have sons, and a lot of them to boot," Ron explained. "We used to be a rich family, but having to pay the food bill when you have a household of at least 3-5 boys pretty much bankrupted us," he joked.

Harry smiled despite things and looked at Ginny. "So somehow the curse was broken and Ginny got born," he provided, guessing that was what Ron was getting at.

"Nope, the curse is still place," Ginny corrected Harry. "I'm adopted," she admitted, carefully watching his face for his reaction.

"So what?" Harry replied, shrugging. To him, she might have well said she had been on a Tuesday instead of a Wednesday for all it mattered. Ginny was Ginny, and that was all he cared about. He didn't realize it, but his complete lack of a reaction was exactly what Ginny had been hoping for.

Ginny grabbed Harry by the face and placed a warm kiss on his lips. "Thank you, Harry Potter," she told her confused boyfriend.

"Told you he would understand," Ron teased. He made an uncomfortable face and added, "Could you just leave off the snogging until I leave, _please_."

Ginny blushed and let her hand slip down into Harry's. "The reason I get depressed on this day is it's the day Prof. Dumbledore found me on the steps of the school," she explained.

"How old were you?" Harry asked; wanting to learn everything he could about the amazing redhead holding his hand.

"Mum and Dad guessed she was about one when Prof. Dumbledore brought her to the Burrow," Ron supplied. "He told them he took one look at her flaming hair and could think of no other family to raise her," he told Harry. "The way Dad tells it, Mum almost knocked Prof. Dumbledore over in her rush to get to Ginny. Dad said he and Mum fell in love with her the instant they laid eyes on her. They would have taken her in even if 'You-know-who' had been the one who dropped her off," he joked.

Harry couldn't comprehend being placed with a family that had that much love to spare. The only thing he could think of was how thankful he was that Ginny had been given that opportunity. He smiled at her and gave her hand a small squeeze.

Ginny decided to take over the narrative. "When Prof. Dumbledore dropped me off with Mum and Dad, he also gave them everything that had been left with me – a blue and white baby blanket, a magically locked box, and a broken Muggle watch," she told Harry. "Since I was left with a Muggle item, odds are I'm at least a half-blood or even a Muggle born," she pointed out.

Once again Harry shrugged, completely oblivious as to why that should matter, and repeated, "So what?"

_There are so many reasons I love this boy,_Ginny thought happily. "I get those things out every year on this day and wonder why I was left on the steps of Hogwarts," she admitted.

Harry noticed Ron's face turn red in anger. "That piece of ectoplasmic shit, Peeves, stole her watch," Ron explained before Harry could ask. Harry renewed his vow to find a way to either kill Peeves again, or at least make him truly miserable for a couple of centuries.

"We'll find it, Ginny, I promise," Harry swore solemnly.

Hermione burst into the common room and was relieved to see Harry and Ron there. It saved her from having to track them down. "Ron - Harry, something is wrong with the Doctor," she blurted out.

Ron gave Hermione a patronizing look. "Yeah, he recently got buggered by about a dozen Dementors before you and Harry drove them off. I'd be surprised if something _wasn't_wrong with him," he told her.

Hermione ignored Ron and looked straight at Harry. "He was acting like he was hearing something only he could hear and then ran off. I think he went to find whatever it was," she said pointedly.

Harry knew exactly what Hermione was getting at. He had wondered if he was going mad during his second year when only he could hear the Basilisk that was traveling through the school's plumbing. Harry was torn between trying to help Ginny or the Doctor.

Ginny saw how Harry seemed divided. "Harry, Peeves had to hide that old, broken watch somewhere in our dorm, he can't phase through walls while holding onto something," she pointed out. "Go help the Doctor and if I haven't found it by the time you get back, you can help me look," she offered.

Harry smiled at Ginny and then stood from the couch. "Let's go and see if we can help the Doctor," he said firmly. He looked down at Ron who was still sitting.

Ron looked from Harry to Hermione and then sighed wearily. "If we end up finding another bloody giant snake, I'm blaming you, Hermione!" he told her before getting up. The three 6th year students hurried out into the rest of the castle after promising Ginny they would back soon.

Ginny had spent about five minutes searching the common room before the Doctor walked in, his head moving from side to side, looking everywhere. "Hello, Doctor. 'Mione, Harry, and Ron went looking for you," she told him.

"Yes, yes, that's nice of them," the Doctor replied absently. He was focusing all of his attention on the muffled voice calling out for help.

"What are you looking for?" Ginny asked curiously.

The Doctor paused to look at her and then went back to looking around the room. "I'm not really sure, but I think I'll know it when I find it," he replied. The voice had become so loud in his head, he was certain it was in this room. He glanced at Ginny again before asking her, "You don't happen to hear a woman's voice calling out for help in your head, do you?"

"Sorry Doctor, no voices in my head," Ginny replied. Not sure what to think of the Doctor, she went back to searching the room herself. "If you come across an old watch, let me know. Peeves stole it from me and I think he hid it somewhere around here," she relayed to the Doctor. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Doctor had gone eerily still. She turned her head and saw he was staring at her, shock written all over his face.

"What did you say you were missing?" the Doctor managed to whisper, his throat suddenly gone dry. Ginny caught a flash of reflected light coming from an end-table behind the Doctor. He turned to watch her as she ran past him. The Doctor found it hard to breathe when Ginny picked up an ordinary looking, if somewhat tarnished, pocket watch. Even from half way across the room, he could see the words etched in High Gallifreyan on the cover – "Open me when ready."

"Found it!" Ginny squealed happily. She turned around and saw the Doctor was still staring at her in wonder. "Is everything all right, Doctor?" she inquired.

"I don't know, I really don't," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "Is that your watch?" he asked, desperately wanting to know the answer.

"Why?" Ginny answered suspiciously.

"Have you opened it?" the Doctor asked carefully.

Ginny shook her head, and then paused. "I can't, it's broken . . . I think," she replied, not certain of her answer. She couldn't actually remember ever trying to open it.

"Open it," the Doctor whispered.

Ginny rolled her eyes at the Doctor and pressed the stud on the side that opened the top cover, figuring the thing would refuse to open. To her surprise, the cover snapped open and she was instantly bathed in a brilliant gold light. Tendrils of Vortex energy sprang out of the watch and swirled about her head. Ginny instinctively closed her eyes and allowed herself to become whole again. Soon, the light faded and the Vortex tendrils were absorbed into her body. She opened her eyes and looked at the Doctor, her ability to see into other dimensions restored. That sight allowed her species to recognize others of their own kind, even after they had regenerated. She grinned at the Doctor and repeated the first two words she had ever spoken to him. "Hello, Dad," she said.

The Doctor fell to his knees, sobbing. "I didn't know. If I had known, I would have stayed on Messaline as long as it took," he swore to her, guilt overtaking him. Jenny rushed forward and dropped to her knees as well. She wrapped her father in her arms and buried her head in his chest. "I know, Dad. I've missed you, too," she laughed between her own tears of joy.

The Doctor kissed her forehead, tears flowing. "Jenny, my Jenny," he managed to choke out.

"Actually, if it's all the same to you, Dad, I would prefer 'Ginny'," Ginny told him. "Ginerva sounds a whole lot nice than 'generated anomaly'," she joked.

"I don't care what I get to call you as long as you're back," the Doctor laughed and kissed the top of her head before pulling her into a tighter hug, never wanting to let his daughter out of his sight again.

**********DrW**********

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had scoured the 7th and 8th floors looking for the Doctor without any success. "There's got to be a better way of doing this," Ron complained. "You know, like using the Marauder's Map," he said sarcastically.

"I didn't know I would be needing it tonight," Harry snapped back.

Hermione sighed and grabbed both young men by the arms. "Knock it off you two," she warned them. "Bickering won't help us, but Ron's right for once. We have been going about this the wrong way," she told them.

"Thanks, I think," Ron replied. "What are you thinking?" he inquired.

"What's really slowing us down are things like walls and floors," Hermione told them. She saw the blank looks on their faces. "We need to ask someone who doesn't have those limitations," she explained. Ron and Harry looked at each other and shrugged. "Of for crying out loud, we need to talk with a ghost," she sighed.

"Why didn't you just say that in the first place?" Ron wondered.

Hermione rolled her eyes and Harry stifled a laugh. "Sir Nicholas, we need you," she called out loudly.

The translucent image of the Gryffindor house ghost rose slowly out of the floor in front of them. "Hello, you three," he said cheerily.

"Sir Nicholas, we're looking for the Doctor," Harry told him. "Have you seen him around?" he wondered.

"You mean that odd man with the bow tie?" Sir Nicholas asked for clarification.

"That's him, he also has a funny looking chin," Ron interjected. "Ouch!" he yelped when Hermione kicked him in the leg.

"I used to know another man who called himself the Doctor; completely different person of course. The man I knew had frizzy hair and an impossibly long scarf. Also, I knew him back when I was alive. I wonder if it's some sort of secret brotherhood," the old ghost babbled.

Hermione shook her head in dismay. "Sir Nicholas, please, have you seen the current Doctor recently?" she asked, hoping to get him back on track.

"Oh yes, that Doctor. I ran into him near the Fat Lady. He was very polite so I helped him get into your dorm. He seemed to think that whatever he was looking for would be found somewhere in there," Sir Nicholas replied.

Harry and Ron couldn't help themselves. They started laughing at the absurdity of things. Hermione ground her teeth and muttered, "I'm going to kill him."

The three Gryffindors thanked Sir Nicholas and ran back down to their dorm. When they opened the Fat Lady's portrait, they had to cover their eyes as a golden light flooded through the doorway. As soon as their eyes readjusted, they ran to the common room to see what had caused it. They froze in the entryway when they saw the scene before them – the Doctor and Ginny in a tight embrace while he kissed the top of her head.

Harry was the first one to react. He stormed past the pair in the center of the room on his way to the stairs. He didn't say a word, but the look of betrayal on his face told Ginny all she needed to know. Hermione wasn't as passive. She picked up a book left on the couch closest to the door and threw it at the Doctor. The Doctor saw the literary projectile in time and managed to turn so it hit his shoulder rather than his head. "I hate you!" Hermione screamed before running out into the castle.

Ron looked from where Harry had gone back to the open door where Hermione had left in tears. He slowly turned to look at Ginny and wagged a finger at her. "I am so telling Mum on you," he promised.

Ginny looked at the Doctor and gave him a small smile. "That's my Dad! Never a dull moment," she teased.


	16. Chapter 16

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

Ron stared at his sister and wiggled a finger in his ear; sure that something was interfering with his hearing. "Ginny, what did you call him?" he wondered aloud.

Ginny walked over to Ron and put her hands on his shoulders. "Ron, you're my brother and nothing can change that, and right now I need your help," she told him firmly. This seemed to snap Ron out of his fog. He had always been protective of his little sister. In the Burrow, family always came first, even if that family member was a total ponce like Percy. "I will explain everything to you and Harry, but first I need to talk with my biological father," she stated. "I need you to keep an eye on Harry while I do that. Make sure he doesn't go and do something stupid," she said softly.

"Right . . . Harry . . . nothing stupid," Ron managed to say, his mind still trying to process the fact the Doctor claimed to be his sister's biological father. He looked like he was maybe 10-12 years older than her. Ron shook his head and made his way up to the room he shared with Harry.

Immense waves of guilt flooded the Doctor as he realized what had just happened. By asking Ginny to open the watch, he might as well have killed the youngest Weasley with his own hands. The Doctor watched Ron go into the bedroom and then turned to face Ginny, his heart full of remorse. "I'm sorry, Ginny, I wasn't thinking," he apologized. "All I could think of was the possibility that I wasn't the only Time Lord left. It never even crossed my mind that 'Ginny Weasley' would cease to be," he said sadly.

"Huh?" Ginny replied, totally perplexed.

The Doctor took in a deep breath before going on. "When a Time Lord uses a chameleon arch, a new person is created. That person ceases to be once we open our watch and become a Time Lord again," he tried to explain. "Trust me I know, it happened to me once," he told her, remembering how John Smith had "died" to save Farringham.

"Yeah, I suppose that could happen if you set the personality modulator to anything other than zero. If you set it to zero, all you end up losing is your memories, not who you really are," Ginny told him. It was the Doctor's turn to look baffled. "You know, the little red dial on the right side of the helmet," she prodded. Holding up her right hand, she turned it from side to side as she looked at it. "Being Ginny provided me with the childhood I never had. I feel more whole than I did before using that blasted arch," she let him know.

"_That's_ what that dial does?" the Doctor inquired stuck on what she had said earlier. "I always thought it was a decoration," he admitted.

Ginny put her hand on her forehead and shook her head slowly. "Didn't you read the instruction manual?" she asked him. The Doctor's sheepish grin told the answer to that question. "The one thing I am surprised with is the fact that the daft machine turned me into a toddler," she said absently.

The Doctor rocked back on his heels as his mind raced to find a possible explanation. He needed more information to verify a theory he came up with. "How old were you when you used the arch?" he asked suddenly.

"I had recently turned ten," Ginny replied.

The Doctor started pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace. "Of course, that makes perfect sense," he muttered.

"Care to share the obvious with me?" Ginny prodded.

The Doctor stopped pacing and turned to face Ginny. "When you were born, you stepped out of the progenation machine fully grown with everything a soldier needed to know already downloaded into your mind," he told her.

"Yeah, I remember that part, I was there," Ginny reminded the Doctor.

"You might have stepped out looking like an adult, but your cellular clocks started at zero, just like any other newborn," he explained.

Ginny nodded as she followed his reasoning. "OK, but why didn't the arch make me into a ten year old child?" she wondered.

"It did," the Doctor replied. "The arch must have read your cellular clocks and turned you into the human equivalent of a ten year old Time Lord. Whoosh – bang, you get a one year old human child," he theorized. His expression suddenly became serious as another thought struck him. "Where did you manage to find a chameleon arch anyway? I've never seen one outside a TARDIS before," he asked her.

"The Room of Requirement of course," Ginny replied as if that explained everything. She saw that his father was about to ask another question so she took a step towards him and put her hand on his arm. "I understand you have a lot a questions, but there's a young man who needs them answered more than you do right now," she quietly stated. "Dad, I love Harry and I want to tell him who and what we are so there won't be any secrets between us. I'm not asking your permission, I'm just letting you know what I'm going do," she told him.

The Doctor leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers. He tilted his head slightly from side to side as he looked her in the eyes. "Headstrong, more than a little bit reckless, and willing to follow her heart now matter what the consequences," he summarized what he saw in her eyes. An involuntary grin spread across his face. "That's my girl!" he whispered proudly. Straightening up, he placed another kiss on her forehead. "Not that you need it, but you have my permission," he told her. He motioned with his chin towards the boys' bedroom. "Go on," he offered.

Ginny hugged him once and then started for the stairs. She stopped at the base and looked back at him. "It's probably safe for you go after Hermione now, Dad. You really should tell her everything, you know," she suggested. "You two make such a cute couple," she teased him. "My god, I'm giving dating advice to my 900 year old dad," she muttered as she made her way up the stairs. The Doctor left the dorm in search of Hermione.

When Ginny reached the boys' room, she knocked on the door. "Harry, we need to talk," she yelled through the heavy wood door.

Ginny heard muffled voices talking in the room and then Ron shouted, "He says he doesn't want to talk to you."

"Harry, if you ever cared about or trusted me, please come down to the common room so I can explain what you thought you saw," she shouted. Turning on her heel (and hoping she was right about Harry), Ginny walked back down to the common room to wait for him. After a few minutes, the door to the boys' bedroom opened and Harry came out alone. He walked silently down the stairs and chose a seat as far away from Ginny as he could. Since the moment he left his room, he refused to look her in the eyes. "Thank you, Harry," Ginny acknowledged. "I have to warn you, you're going to need to keep an open mind because things are a bit _complicated_," she warned him.

"How complicated?" Harry asked, thinking that finding his girlfriend in the arms of a mysterious man a decade older than her wasn't really all that complicated once he thought about it. The Doctor was a pretty charming bloke after all.

Ginny took in a deep breath and gave Harry a crooked smile. "Um . . . the Doctor's my biological father and we're not human – level complicated," she replied.

Harry had been thinking of several different scenarios to explain things in an effort to dull the pain of her apparent betrayal, but that was definitely not one he had considered. "Not human?" he responded slowly.

"Well, I started out not human, then I was for about 14 years, and now I'm not anymore," Ginny told him, realizing it sounded a lot like one of her father's explanations.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite follow that," Harry admitted.

Ginny had a slightly confused look on her face as she tried to come up with a better way to explain things. Harry smiled despite himself when he saw it was the same expression he had seen several times when they were coming up with a new Quiditch play. Ginny walked over to Harry and took him by the hand. He allowed himself to be pulled up off of the couch. Taking his hand in hers, Ginny placed it on the center of her chest. "What do you feel?" she whispered.

Harry focused his attention on his hand. He felt the steady beat of her heart. "I can feel your heartbeat," he replied, not sure what she was getting at.

Ginny took Harry's other hand and placed it on her side, just slightly lower than his other hand. "And here?" she asked softly.

Harry's eyebrows furrowed as he tried to make sense of what he was feeling. "Another heartbeat?" he asked in surprise. Harry could tell it was a second heartbeat because it was slightly out of sync with the first one.

Still holding his hands to her, Ginny looked Harry in the eyes. "Just because I'm not human doesn't mean I'm not the Ginny you know," she promised him. "I'm still the girl you saved from the Basilisk and who has loved you from the very first moment she saw you at Platform 9 ¾," she assured him. "The only thing that _has_ changed is that I now have two hearts to give you instead of one, Harry James Potter," she whispered and leaned forward to kiss him. As soon as their lips met, Harry let his hands move to her back and pulled her closer to him.

Ron figured he had given Ginny and Harry enough time and decided to have her explain to him what was going on. He moved to the top of the stairs and looked down into the common room. "Ah, bloody hell!" he swore wearily when he saw his sister and best mate sharing a very passionate snog. Ron turned around and went off to bed; realizing explanations were probably going to have to wait until the morning.

**********DrW**********

Hermione sat down on a fallen log near the shore of the lake that separated Hogwarts from Hogsmeade. She reached down and picked up a large stone. With all of her strength, she hurled the rock out into the lake, wishing she could have thrown it at the Doctor instead. The water around where the stone landed churned as a merman poked his head above water and shook the stone at her. With his other webbed hand, the merman rubbed the top of his head. Hermione didn't speak Mer, but got the general idea from his tone. "Sorry," she replied sheepishly. After a few more choice, unintelligible words, the merman tossed the rock over its shoulder and dove back into the lake.

Hermione shivered and hugged her robe closer to her body. She watched as the steam from her breath rose and dissipated into the autumn night sky. She wasn't sure who she was angrier at - Ginny, the Doctor, or herself. The image of Ginny, one of her best friends, in the arms of the Doctor played over and over again in her mind. She couldn't believe that Ginny would do something like that to Harry, especially with the man Ginny knew Hermione had a major crush on. She silently berated herself for thinking the Doctor had actually been interested in her. Even though he had accepted her offer to go to the Halloween ball with her, he had never told her that he fancied her. Putting her head in her hands, Hermione moaned, "Why me?"

"Because like any child, the universe likes playing with its most interesting toys more often than the dull, boring ones," the Doctor replied from behind her. "At least that's what I keep telling myself," he added.

Hermione spun around, surprised that the Doctor had managed to make it down to the beach without making a sound. "Go away! I have nothing to say to you!" she snapped and then turned her back on him.

"Actually, that will make things a whole lot easier, considering how much I have to say to you. We won't be struggling to see who gets their point across first," the Doctor replied. He sat down on the other side of the log, despite her pivoting on her end to keep her back towards him. A cold breeze blew over the lake and caused Hermione to shiver even more. "You're shivering, it must be cold out here," he concluded. He slipped off the second hand robe Tonks had gotten for him and draped it over Hermione's shoulders.

Hermione was about to rip off his robe and toss it in the Doctor's face when she saw him out of the corner of her eye. Something didn't seem quite right. She turned to get a better look at him when another cold breeze assaulted them. The extra robe helped a little, but she still shivered. She cocked her head to the side as she noticed the Doctor hadn't reacted to the cold wind at all. "Why aren't you shivering?" she asked him, her curiosity overriding her anger for a moment.

"What? Oh, that . . . well you see, the planet I come from has much greater temperature extremes than yours does so this is actually well within my comfort zone," the Doctor replied.

"Honestly, Doctor! I don't know what game you're playing at, but please don't insult my intelligence," Hermione said sharply. "I suppose you want me to believe that you're an alien and that what I saw in the common room was some strange alien custom that doesn't mean anything," she snapped.

Her comment made the Doctor smirk a little. "It's your extremely above average intelligence that I'm banking on, Miss Granger," he assured her. "And yes, I am an alien, but what you saw in the common room wasn't an alien custom. It's pretty much how any father, anywhere in the universe, reacts when reunited with a daughter he thought he had lost," he told her.

Hermione rolled her eyes at the Doctor. "Now you want me to believe Ginny Weasley is your daughter?" she scoffed. "I would like you to leave now," she said coldly and turned away from him again.

The Doctor stood up and stepped closer to the lake, staring into its black waters. "I thought she was dead. She died in my arms after a madman shot her on the planet Messaline," he said softly, not knowing if Hermione was listening. "She was born there as well. I only had 13 short hours to be with her from when she was born to when Cobb murdered her," he explained, remembering the pain of losing Jenny. He smacked his head as things started to make sense. "Of course! Why did I listen to Martha? Jenny was within the first 15 hours of something similar to a regeneration event! The Vortex energy would have been able to heal just about anything!" he babbled.

Hermione could hear the genuine sadness in his voice, and began to let go of her anger. That was until the rational part of her mind protested again. "How did your daughter manage to get from a different planet to here when she was an infant?" she pointed out.

The Doctor turned away from the lake and Hermione thought she saw a tear in the corner of his eye. "That's a very good question and one I plan on asking her later," the Doctor replied. "Right about now, Ginny is trying to explain things to Harry," he told her. "I really hope she's doing a better job than I am," he muttered. The Doctor tried to think about how explain what he was to Hermione. Usually things weren't that difficult, he would show the humans his nifty "bigger on the inside" box and they would be amazed. Dealing with a witch who did the seemingly impossible on a daily basis made things much harder. That thought triggered an idea. "Hermione, I'm not even a wizard," he admitted. He reached into his jacket and pulled out his sonic screwdriver. "This isn't a wand. It's my sonic screwdriver," he told her.

"What are you talking about? I've seen you do magic!" Hermione snapped at him. Before saying anything else, she paused as she thought about the past month. The only time she could actually remember him doing magic was at Stonehenge, and then the only thing he did was amplify his voice. It would explain why he left her to pull off a magical miracle while he led the Dementors away. She looked closer at his wand and his explanation made even more sense when she saw the metal exterior. Wand theory stated that every wand must be made out of something either taken from, or given by, a magical creature encased in some sort of wood exterior. The combination of the two substances was what helped a wizard to focus their powers. Not wholly convinced yet, she asked, "What about the time Tonks saw you use magic to defeat the Death Eaters in the ice cream parlor?"

Even though things weren't going as well as he had hoped, the Doctor puffed up his chest in pride over his favorite invention. "Like the name says, this device uses concentrated sonic energy to do just about anything – scan things, hack into computer systems, and manipulate matter," he boasted. His pride slipped a little when he admitted, "The only thing it doesn't really work on is dense cellulose."

Hermione started giggling despite herself. "Your _screwdriver_ doesn't do wood?" she laughed.

The Doctor ran his hand through hair. "Well . . . I liked the name when I built it and never got around to changing it," he muttered. "Here, I'll prove what it does," he offered. He held the screwdriver in front of his face and adjusted it to its lowest power setting. "Take this and point it at the water and press that center stud," he suggested. Hermione took the screwdriver and did as he instructed. Small waves in the lake radiated out from the area where she was pointing. "Now slide that ring near your index finger clockwise," he said. Hermione slid the ring and watched as the waves changed in length and speed.

The merman from before stuck his upper body out of the water again. "Will you two air breathers cut it out? I'm trying to hunt down here!" he yelled.

"Sorry, I forget about how sound waves propagate through water," the Doctor apologized.

The merman cocked his head to the side, surprised that the air breather could speak flawless Mer. "Yeah . . . well, just knock off it, OK?" he requested before diving back underwater.

"How was he speaking English?" Hermione asked in wonder. Merpeople didn't have the ability to make human speech sounds above the water.

"Oh sorry, I always forget to mention that part," the Doctor said absently. "Our scaly friend over there wasn't speaking English. In fact, it sounded like he was speaking a rather quaint dialect of Aquatic Silurian," he lectured. "You heard English because my ship and I have a symbiotic relationship and she uses me as a lens to project a telepathic field through. She knows every language since the dawn of time and thanks to the telepathy, so do I and everyone else around me. It makes things ever so much easier when you travel as much as I do," he explained.

Hermione was speechless for a moment. Wizards very rarely used translation spells due to the massive headaches they brought on. She had read one account of a witch who had suffered a stroke after prolonged use of the translation spell she used to help broker a peace agreement with the Highland Ogres. Hermione hadn't felt even a hint of discomfort and wouldn't have known something was translating for her if the Doctor hadn't mentioned it. That was the pebble that finally tipped the scales in the Doctor's favor. "You actually have a spaceship?" she asked, not in a disbelieving way, but more of an excited "I can wait to learn everything I can" way.

The Doctor chuckled before answering. "Yes I do, I left her parked in Hogsmeade," he replied to an astonished Hermione.

"Who else knows all this?" Hermione inquired.

"Well, there's Ace, Ginny - obviously, and I expect Harry and Ron know by now as well. Oh yes, Prof. Dumbledore knows who and what I am, but I think he's some sort of groupie that I tend to collect every now and then," the Doctor answered.

"Is Ace a Time Lord as well?" Hermione asked.

"Oh no, she's human. I found her stranded on a far away planet and sort of adopted her," the Doctor replied. "The only other Time Lord that I know of is Ginny, the rest are all gone. We're the last two of our kind and she's a genetic variant clone," he said sadly.

The loneliness in his voice tugged at Hermione's heart. She stood up and walked over to the Doctor. "Why are you telling me all this?" she prodded gently. She smiled at the awkward and somewhat terrified look in his eyes.

In his many years, the Doctor had faced countless threats to the very existence of the Universe. He had stood in a cave on a planet in the event horizon of a black hole and gone face to face with Satan himself. With that said, he was now faced with something that terrified him more than anything else. His palms grew sweaty and sweat broke out on his brow. He closed his eyes and took a calming breath, fighting down his urge to flee. When he opened his eyes, he decided to fight through his fear. "Because I fancy you, Hermione," he admitted, his voice weak.

Once again, Hermione felt like she could have flown without any silly, old broomstick. She took another step forward and placed her hand in his. "It's getting late, why don't you walk me back to the castle?" she suggested. "Tomorrow we can go to Hogsmeade and you can show me your ship," she told him. "While we're there, we should also figure out what costumes we're going wear to the ball," she stated and squeezed his hand affectionately.

A relieved smile spread across the Doctor's face as he escorted Miss Granger back to the castle. Only one small fear tugged at the back of mind. _Vortex, I hope River doesn't show up! I have no idea how I would explain that I'm falling for someone else,_ he thought.


	17. Chapter 17

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

The predawn light gave the grounds around Hogwarts an otherworldly feel. The Doctor leaned against a short stone wall, uneasy with the relative calm around him. Ever since the Time War, he hated moments like this. He always found his mind wandering back to the fact that he had committed genocide against his own race. Footsteps behind him, gave the Doctor a welcome respite from his self loathing. At this point, he would rather talk with Snape than be alone with his thoughts.

Ginny walked up behind her father and chose a place on the small stone wall next to him. She leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. "I completely forgot that Time Lords don't sleep like humans do. I spent the whole night tossing and turning," she told him.

The Doctor put his arm around his daughter's waist. "I have a lot of questions if you feel up to answering them," he stated.

"Go ahead, Dad. I don't mind, as long as I get to ask you some as well," Ginny replied. "You know, like how many times have you, well you know_changed_?" she asked, not certain how to phrase her question. Since she hadn't been raised with other Time Lords, she wasn't sure if it was a polite question or not.

The Doctor chuckled and replied, "The word you are looking for is 'regenerate', and I've only done it once since I last saw you." He looked thoughtful for a moment and added, "Well actually, I suppose it was more like 1 ½ times, but since I didn't change that time, I don't count the minor regeneration."

"You know, the fact that I was going to change into someone else when I died would have been really handy information to have," Ginny chided the Doctor. She saw the immense look of guilt in his eyes and put her arm around his waist and squeezed. "I don't blame you for leaving," she whispered.

The Doctor kissed her forehead in thanks. "My turn," he told her. "How in the Vortex did you end up here?" he inquired, his voice rising in pitch.

Ginny looked to the East and watched as the horizon slowly grew lighter. She pulled the magically locked box out of her robes and placed it on top of the short wall. "Whole lot of running," she recited, saying the magical password she had set up with Dumbledore prior to her transformation. The lid popped open and she pulled out the two items held inside. The first was a crudely built sonic device similar to the Doctor's screwdriver. The second item was one of the Time Agency's Vortex Manipulators. She fixed the manipulator to her wrist. "I got this off of a drunken agent on Jutos Prime," she explained. The leather wrist strap had an attachment added that would hold her sonic screwdriver. "It took me some time, but I finally figured out how to build a sonic screwdriver myself," she told him as she sheathed the tube.

"How did you get from Jutos to here?" the Doctor pressed.

"After hopping around Time and Space for a couple of years, I ran into a small Dalek outpost. It had been set up on a moon orbiting a young human colony world similar to Messaline," Ginny replied. "There were more Daleks that I planned on and one of them got off a lucky shot, killing me," she told him. "I thought they were going to piss their salt shakers when I _regenerated_ and told them who my dad was," she joked. "I took advantage of their terror and finished the rest of them off quickly. After that, I helped myself to their central computer," she explained. "Turns out, they were acting as a monitoring post, watching some freaky one eyed woman who wanted to get her hands on some Time Lord DNA," she said, still disturbed by what she had read in the files. The lengths the woman was willing to go to had given Ginny nightmares on the rare occasion when she did sleep.

"Kovarian!" the Doctor swore. "One of these days, I'm going to show her why the Daleks call me the Oncoming Storm," he promised.

Ginny went on, feeling the same way about the woman who was hunting them. "The Dalek computers tracked her movements and I was able to see that she avoided this century like the plague," she stated. "It took me several hops, but I eventually managed to make it to Earth in 1982. I popped right into Diagon Alley. I'd never been to Earth before so I thought what I saw around me was normal," she explained. "I was window shopping when I was attacked by the remnants of the Death Eaters," she said, remembering her first day on Earth.

"What happened?" the Doctor asked, hanging on her every word.

"I thought they were sent by the eye patch hag and made an emergency spatial hop with my manipulator," Ginny replied. "When my stomach stopped churning, I found that I had materialized right outside of Hogwarts' front gate," she told him. "Prof. Dumbledore just happened to be taking a walk around the grounds and saw me appear. I thought he was going to freak out, but he just chuckled and asked if I needed any help," she remembered fondly. "I told him I needed a place to hide and he brought me inside the castle. He had me stand in front of a blank wall and think really hard about finding a way to stay hidden from Kovarian and her goons," she said.

Ginny traced her finger over the lid of the magic box. "This box was lying next to the Chameleon Arch in the Room of Requirement," she told the Doctor. "I read the manual, set up the password on the box, and used the Arch. You know the rest," she said with a shrug.

The Doctor watched the sunrise a bit before speaking. "However it happened, I'm very thankful that I found you again," he told her softly. Secretly, he vowed to have another conversation with Dumbledore. If the old manipulator knew that Ginny (or Jenny) was the Doctor's daughter, he had no right keeping it from him.

Once the sun was fully up, the two Time Lords walked back to the castle to have some breakfast. Inside the Great Hall, they joined Harry, Ron, and Hermione at the Gryffindor table. Ginny sat down between her father and Harry while Hermione sat across from the Doctor. The Doctor looked at his empty plate and said, "Lungbarrow porridge, please." A bowl of the noxious substance appeared in front of him.

"I'll have the same," Ginny announced.

"Me too," Hermione chimed in. Two more bowls of Lungbarrow porridge took form on the table. Before the Doctor could say anything, both young women bravely spooned a bit into their mouths. The porridge was spit right back out by Hermione and Ginny. They both drained their glasses of juice in an effort to wash the taste out of their mouths.

"Sorry, I suppose I should have warned you. Even though this stuff smells like a sweaty Sontaran's arse after it's been in armor for a month; the porridge tastes even worse than it smells," the Doctor informed them. "I would have thought that after smelling this stuff, you two would have had enough sense to stay away from it," he added.

"Merlin's saggy balls, Doctor," Hermione swore. Most of the students around her froze, surprised that Hermione had sworn.

Brows furrowed in confusion, the Doctor glanced down at his groin. _Saggy? They've never sagged! Might have drooped every now and then depending on which regeneration I was in, but they never sagged!_ he thought indignantly.

Hermione spoke again, regaining the Doctor's attention. "If you think it tastes as bad as I do, why do eat this . . . stuff?" she asked, letting the porridge drop from her spoon back into the bowl.

The Doctor suddenly looked very tired and thoughtful. "It reminds me of home," he replied so softly that only Hermione and Ginny heard him.

"You must miss home a lot then," Ginny joked while she pushed her bowl away from her. Mercifully, her bowl disappeared down to the kitchen.

Hermione saw the terrible hurt in the Doctor's eyes. Her heart broke for him when he whispered, "More than you'll ever know."

Ginny finally caught on and placed her hand on the Doctor's arm. She had found a few references to the Time War when she had gone looking for her father's people. The books were vague, but they all said the Time Lords and their planet had been wiped from the face of the Universe.

Ron noticed the awkward silence and decided to change the subject. He tapped the Doctor on the shoulder to gain his attention. "Hermione says you two are going into Hogsmeade today," he stated. "Mind if Luna and I tag along?" he inquired.

The Doctor was drawn out of his depressive spiral. "Yes, that would be fine. In fact, I was hoping Harry and Ginny would come along as well. I think you all will find it most interesting," he replied.

**********DrW**********

**Hogsmeade**

The thestral carriage rolled to a stop in front of Hogsmeade Station. The Doctor hopped out and offered first Luna and then Hermione his hand to help them out. The small smile Hermione gave him when their hands touched gave him the wonderful mixture of happiness and terror that he hadn't felt since he had started dating his first wife, long before he stole the TARDIS and left Gallifrey. He paused as he tried to make sense of that thought. Technically he had been married before that, but not as the Doctor, so he didn't think his marriage to Patience counted.

The combination of Ginny and Harry helping Ron out of the carriage broke the Doctor out of his memories. Ron was still in shock from learning his "baby" sister was actually an alien who was eight years older than him. Luna didn't seem surprised at all. It took Hermione slapping Ron on the back of his head to regain his composure. "Lay off, 'Mione," Ron protested as he rubbed the sore spot. He looked at Ginny and smirked. "Being an alien explains a lot, like how you managed to avoid being the target of George and Fred's experiments all the time. You must have used alien mind control on them," he teased. Ginny stuck her tongue out at Ron. Truth was, that after a few times of being on the receiving end of Ginny's paybacks the twins learned it was better for their health if they used Ron as their guinea pig instead. Thinking of the twins made Ginny stop in her tracks. At some point she was going to have to tell the rest of her family what had happened.

"Dad, we need to set up a time for us to explain things to the rest of my family. Molly and Arthur deserve to know as soon as possible," Ginny told the Doctor.

The Doctor noticed that Ginny seemed uncomfortable calling Molly and Arthur by their first names. "They will always be 'Mum and Dad' to you, never forget that. Whenever I'm in the same place as Arthur, please call me Doctor," the Doctor suggested. "I owe Arthur more than I could ever repay and he deserves that title more than I do," he assured her. He smiled as he decided what they would do with the rest of their day. "Why don't we go visit them today? No time like the present, well actually that's not quite true – especially when dealing with a Time loop, but you get the idea," he told the group.

"How are we going to get there? Hermione is the only one with an Apparation license," Ron pointed out.

It was Ginny's turn to smack Ron on the back of his head. She pointed at the Doctor. "Where here to see his ship, remember?" she replied.

Ron started to grin from ear to ear when he thought about showing up at home in an alien spaceship. "Wicked!" he exclaimed.

"So where is this ship of yours?" Hermione asked the Doctor.

"Not far, I left her parked on the main street just a few blocks from here," the Doctor replied. Hermione looked over at Ginny for confirmation. The thought of a spaceship in the middle of Hogsmeade and no one noticing it was just too farfetched. Ginny simply shrugged. She had never seen the TARDIS and had no idea what one looked like. The Doctor led them through the village until they stood in front of the old, blue box.

"Why does it say 'Police Public Call Box'?" Hermione asked. she looked around and saw that people passing by paid no attention the odd addition to the street. "And why doesn't anyone notice it sitting right here?" she added. "I thought 'Don't See Me' spells only worked on Muggles," she explained.

The Doctor affectionately ran his hand down the "wood" exterior of the TARDIS. "Technology, not magic, remember," he replied. "The TARDIS protects herself from being noticed two ways," he stated. "The first line of defense is her perception filter. She uses a telepathic field to nudge a person's awareness away from her, making her effectively invisible," he explained. "The second line of defense is her chameleon circuit. In the first nanosecond when she arrives somewhere, the TARDIS scans everything within a 100 kilometer radius to choose a form that would draw the least amount of attention if something should get past the perception filter. After sorting through thousands of different possibilities, she decides she would rather stay looking like a 1963 Police Call Box, thank you very much," he told them sarcastically. "I think the old girl is a bit vain and is simply fond of blue," he said with a wink. The TARDIS let him know she heard him by making him try the key several times before unlocking.

The Doctor held the door for everyone as they entered the TARDIS. He had prepared himself for their lack of reaction to the inside being bigger than the outside ever since he read a book about the origins of wizards' tents. As soon as she was inside, Ginny ran to the center of the control room and dashed from console to console as she pieced together what each control did. Harry was right behind her, curious as to why all the controls looked like they had been recycled from old junk. Ron and Luna followed the other couple while Luna commented on how pretty the walls were. Hermione stopped midway between the doors and the large glass tube in the center of the room. She couldn't put her finger on it, but being in the TARDIS was oddly comforting. She waited until the Doctor shut the door and walked with him to the center console.

"Ginny, do you know the coordinates for where your family lives?" the Doctor inquired. Ginny nodded in reply. "Good, use that keyboard on your right to enter them," he instructed. Ginny stepped around the consoles counter-clockwise until she reached an antique typewriter. A few quick key strokes and she had their course plotted in. "All right everyone, here we go," the Doctor announced as he spun some knobs and threw a couple of switches.

Harry and Ron grinned at each other as they recognized the odd wheezing, grinding noise from when they had been shopping for Hermione's birthday presents. Hermione had a strange look on her face as she tried to remember where she had heard that noise before. She found the noise soothing, like a mother making comforting noises to her child.

The Doctor ran around the console and manipulated other controls and soon the noises from the center column ceased. He took a deep breath and pressed down the plunger that opened the doors. "Right, time to meet the rest of the family," he said bravely.

**The Barrow, Ottery St. Catchpole**

Molly Wesley was dusting the family room furniture when movement from the Family grandfather clock drew her attention. The hands for Ron, Ginny, and Harry swung suddenly from "School" to "Home" to join the ones for the twins, her, and her husband. The twins had taken to stopping by on the weekends to catch up with their parents and share in some of Molly's famous home cooked meals. "What have they done now?" she moaned before hearing a noise like chains being dragged over gears coming from the garden.

Arthur and his twin sons were in the shed tinkering with some enchanted Muggle items when they heard a very strange noise coming from their garden. "I wonder what that could be." Arthur muttered as he drew his wand from his robe.

"I don't know . . ." Fred stated.

"Let's go find out," George said, finishing his twin's sentence. Both young men were grinning in the anticipation of some sort of mischief. All three of them stepped out of the shed and looked curiously at the large blue box sitting in the middle of Molly's pumpkin patch. They were even more surprised when the doors opened and several people walked out. The only person the twins didn't recognize was the man who looked to be somewhere in his mid-twenties.

Ron looked back at the TARDIS in admiration. Apparating, or heaven forbid traveling by portkey, always made him sick to his stomach. As far as he was concerned, traveling by alien spaceship was the only way to go. Harry's smile told Ron he was thinking along the same lines. Ron looked over to the house and waved cheerfully. "Hi, Mum!" he called out.

"Ron . . . Ginny, why aren't you at school? Did you get suspended?" Molly replied, jumping to the worst scenario she could think of, her tone sharp enough to cut. "Hello, Harry dear, glad to see you. You too, Hermione, Luna," she added. Ron rolled his eyes at how his mother was able to change gears so quickly. Molly looked suspiciously the other member of the group. "Who might you be?" she demanded. Arthur cringed at his wife's rudeness.

The Doctor smiled warmly at the woman who had raised his daughter. "Hello, I'm the Doctor," he replied cheerfully.

Molly was slightly taken aback. Arthur had finally gotten around to telling her about the manticore attack in Hogsmeade and what part the Doctor had played in keeping their son alive. She had assumed the Black CAT would be older. The Doctor looked to be about Charlie's age.

Ginny stepped in between Molly and the Doctor. She waited until Arthur, Fred, and George walked over to join them. "Doctor, these are two of my brothers - Fred and George, and these are my parents - Molly and Arthur Weasley," she said, introducing her family.

"Yes, we met in Hogsmeade," Arthur replied, shaking the Doctor's hand again.

Ginny took in a deep breath and decided she might as well get things over with. "Mum . . . Dad, this is the Doctor, my biological father," she said steadily.


	18. Chapter 18

**The Burrow, Ottery St. Catchpole**

"Mum . . . Dad, this is the Doctor, my biological father," Ginny said steadily.

Molly's eye grew huge and then she clenched her jaw in anger. She rushed forward and punched the Doctor in his jaw with every ounce of strength she could muster. Unfortunately for the Doctor, that was quite a bit considering Molly was a proponent of traditional discipline and had given out plenty of swats to her seven children. The twins alone helped her develop a swing that would make any professional tennis player green with envy.

The Doctor was spun around in a complete circle by the force of Molly's punch. He staggered a couple steps and then fell backwards onto his bottom. "What is it with mothers? Do I have 'hit me' written on my forehead in a way that only mothers can read?" he demanded from the Universe.

Molly took another threatening step forward while she drew her wand. She pointed it at the Doctor's chest and yelled, "How dare you show your face here?"

Arthur reached out and tried to get his wife to lower her wand. "Clam yourself, Molly. I won't have you murdering a man at the Burrow," he told her sternly. Truth was, he was just as angry at the Doctor as she was, but he had no desire to see his wife shipped off to Azkaban.

Molly spared only a small glance at her husband before returning her murderous gaze back on the Doctor. "Fine, then get my broom. I'll take this monster somewhere far away and _then_hex him into oblivion," she spat.

Ginny stepped in between her mum and biological father. "Mum, stop!" she pleaded. "You don't know what really happened!" she screamed.

"I know this . . . _man _abandoned you on the steps of Hogwarts without so much as a note. What if no one had found you?" Molly countered. The tip of her wand started to glow a cherry red as her anger leaked into the wood.

Ginny, still having a soldier's instincts, decided to act quickly and ask for forgiveness later. She rushed her mum, grabbed her by the shoulders, and slammed her forehead into her mother's hard enough that everyone could hear the solid "thunk" sound. Both women grabbed their heads in pain.

The twins grabbed Ginny by the arms and pulled her away from their mother. "What the hell . . ." George stated to say.

". . . do you think you're doing?" Fred asked, finishing the sentence.

Ginny squinted and tried to fight through the immense pain in her head. "It was the quickest way to get Mum to understand," she replied.

Molly Weasley easily forced the pain to the back of her mind. She had given birth to six of her seven children after all. She stood still, a look of shock and confusion written on her face as she processed the images and information her daughter had forcefully put into her mind. As the information settled into place, she glanced at the Doctor, thinking he had been more handsome when Ginny (or Jenny as she was known then) last saw him on an _alien_planet. Molly let her gaze move back to Ginny and looked her in the eyes. "I don't care if you did start out life as a blonde, you're still my daughter Ginerva Weasley," she told her daughter firmly.

Ginny stumbled forward and wrapped her arms around the woman who had raised her. "I love you, Mum," she sobbed in relief.

Molly moved her mouth down to Ginny's ear and whispered softly, "I know child, I know." Molly straightened up and held Ginny at arm's length. "I always suspected you would be more trouble than the twins," she joked. "Come on, let's go inside and have a spot of tea," she suggested while shepherding her daughter inside. Molly and Ginny walked hand in hand into the cottage while Luna followed after them, her usual dreamy smile firmly in place. As Molly stepped through the door, she called out over her shoulder, "Someone help the Doctor up, don't be rude!"

**********DrW**********

The Doctor sat on a couch in the Weasley's living room, holding a bag of ice on his jaw. Hermione was sitting next to him while Ginny gave a condensed version of her life to her family. Molly was pleased that Harry sat as close as he could to Ginny. It was obvious that he didn't care one bit about Ginny being an alien.

"So let me get this straight. You're older than we are?" Fred asked. He and his twin were sitting on the back of a couch, mush to the annoyance of their mother.

"Yep, in my linear time stream, I'm 24 years old," Ginny responded.

"Weird," George replied. He looked over at the Doctor curiously. "If our little Ginny is 24, how old does that make you?" he wondered.

That was one of the questions that always forced him to face how truly alien he was to his adopted planet. "In a few months I'll turn 912 years old," he said bluntly. The room became instantly silent as all eyes turned towards him.

George held his hand in front of his mouth while he leaned over to Fred. "Talk about robbing the cradle," he whispered while jerking his eyes at Hermione. Unfortunately, the room had grown so quiet that everyone, including the Doctor and Hermione, heard him.

"Don't you listen to them, 'Mione," Ginny insisted.

"They've got a point though," Ron interjected. "Why don't you hook up with someone of your own kind?" he asked, showing his usual lack of tact.

Ginny walked across the living room and stepped down hard on Ron's foot. "Just so you know, I was born with the knowledge of how to kill a man 118 different ways with my bare hands. Right now I'm ordering them by how much fun they'll be," she warned him.

Molly looked over at the Doctor and saw the terrible guilt and pain in his eyes. The information her daughter had shared with her had given her a brief outline of the Time War and horrible consequences. "Ron, shut up," she told him firmly. "The Doctor didn't come to Earth looking for a date. He came here because it is the only home he has left," she said sadly. Thinking about the books Ginny had read about the Doctor and how he had acted during their brief time together on Messaline, Molly made a decision. She stood up and walked to the area between the living room and the dining room. Pulling out her wand, she tapped the glass face of the Family Grandfather clock that had a hand for every member of the family. "**_FAMILY_**," she said softly. A new hand sprouted on the face of the clock. It simply read, "the Doctor".

Arthur clapped his hands once. "Well, I guess that settles it. Like Harry, you're an honorary Weasley now, Doctor," he laughed. "Who's up for lunch?" he asked, officially ending the family meeting.

Molly smiled at Arthur and made her way into the kitchen. Ginny and Luna followed to see if they could help. Ron was still massaging his foot from where Ginny had stomped on it. "Dad, any chance I could get a few Galleons so I can pick up a costume for the Halloween ball?" he asked, pretty sure he already knew what the answer was going to be.

"I'm sorry, Ron, but I'm going to have to say no. Times have always been tight, but with the war going on, prices have risen while my salary has stayed the same," Arthur replied. He looked embarrassed by having to talk about money in front of a stranger. The Doctor might have just been inducted into the family, but it still felt awkward discussing family finances with him there.

The Doctor looked around the room and for the first time noticed that much of what he saw was second hand and being held together by what he guessed was magic and sheer determination. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth when an idea popped into his head. He jumped off the couch with manic energy. "Excuse me, Arthur, but I've never been very with the whole concept of money. I take it that the demand for it is outstripping your supply?" he asked for clarification. Arthur nodded, his eyes downcast. "Right then, I need to borrow some of it then," the Doctor said quickly.

Arthur was shocked by the question. "Excuse me?" he stammered, sure he had heard the Doctor wrong.

The Doctor snapped his fingers impatiently. "Come on, come on, how much money do you have on you?" he demanded. Arthur was dazed by the intensity of the Doctor's actions and dumped his money purse out on a side table. His last five Galleons until he got paid in two weeks spilled out. Before any one could react, the Doctor snatched the gold coins off of the table and made his way towards the back door. "I'll pay you back with interest," he promised. Harry saw the twinkle in the Doctor's eyes and decided to go with him to see what he was planning.

Hermione jumped off the couch and grabbed the Doctor's arm. "What do you think you're doing?" she hissed.

The Doctor winked at her and whispered, "Come along and find out." He walked past the kitchen and yelled to Ginny. "Ginny, I need your help to make a precision jump," he told her.

Ginny saw the look in the Doctor's eyes and tossed the apron she had tied around her waist to her mother. "Be back in a few moments, Mum," she said and hurried after the Doctor, Hermione, and Harry.

Once they were inside the TARDIS, Hermione put her hands on her hips and stared at the Doctor. "Honestly, Doctor. Taking a man's last five Galleons and running off," she protested. "What are you doing anyway?" she demanded as he and Ginny ran around the console.

The Doctor stopped suddenly and leaned back against the railing surrounding the raised platform. "I'm about to break several rules and a few laws, now that I think about it," he replied, his grin still fixed on his face. If anything, his grin got bigger when he mentioned breaking the rules. He spun around with his arms held out wide. "We're going back in time a thousand years. From what I read in the school's library, Gringots should already have an office in London then," he told Harry and Hermione.

"Hold on, you're saying this thing is a Time machine?" Harry asked, confused.

Ginny and the Doctor smacked their foreheads at the same time. "Sorry, about that. There's always something I forget when explaining my life to humans," the Doctor apologized. "This is the TARDIS. It stands for **T**ime **A**nd **R**elative **D**imension **I**n **S**pace," he explained. He looked more serious for a moment. "Arthur and Molly have given Ginny something I never could and there is no way I can ever repay them," he told Hermione. "But that doesn't mean I can't make things a little easier for them," he said, his grin returning.

"Where exactly do you want to go?" Ginny inquired.

"Back to Diagon Alley and about a thousand years should do it," the Doctor replied, getting back to the consoles. "The temporal stabilizers are that bunch of knobs and the switch there on your left," he pointed out. "Getting there is easy, but making it back here just after we left is tricky. I keep mucking that part up. I think with two of us piloting the old girl, it should be much easier," he said hopefully.

Hermione repeated the words that made up the acronym TARDIS silently to herself. She was smiling when she ran to join the Doctor and Ginny at the controls. "You're both Time travelers?" she asked, just to make sure.

"Well that is why our species is known as the Time Lords," Ginny teased her.

Hermione grabbed the Doctor's arm, full of excitement. "All of history at your fingertips. If you want to learn more about something, you can just go there and see it for yourself?" she asked, her eyes alight with the possibility. Harry joined them on the raised platform, their energy contagious.

The Doctor matched Hermione's smile. None of his recent Companions had ever been so excited about going places just to learn something new. He paused when he realized he was starting to think of her as not just a friend, but a Companion – and possibly something beyond that. "Past and future, but you've got general idea. The TARDIS provides for all of my material needs so I can focus all of my attention on learning everything I can," he told her. "Well, I say that, but there is the occasional threat to the survival of the Universe I have to tend to, but that's half the fun," he added. He gave Hermione a wink and asked, "So Miss Granger, ready to go see what the wizarding world was like a thousand years ago?"

"Let's do it!" Hermione replied. She was already thinking about what kind of report she could write for History class based on what she was going to see. The Doctor nodded towards Ginny and then pushed the lever that would send them into the Vortex.

**Diagon Alley, London – 996 AD**

A small breeze picked up some refuse littering the street along Diagon Alley. The breeze picked up suddenly as a large, blue box materialized next to a building. Most of the wizards and witches walking down the street paid no attention to its sudden appearance or the odd noises accompanying it.

The travelers exited the TARDIS and the Doctor took in a deep breath of the much cleaner air. "Welcome to 996 AD," he exclaimed. "Have a look around while I lock up," he suggested and turned to lock the TARDIS doors. When he was done, he turned around, holding his arms up, bent at the elbows and did a little dance. "Right, first off, we need to find Gringots," he told them.

"OK, we could always start with that huge building over there with the big Gringots sign out front," Hermione teased and pointed down the street. She noted that it was in the same location it had been in 1996.

The Doctor looked over to where Hermione was pointing. "Yes, well . . . I was checking to see how good your observation skills were. Good job, you passed," he lied. Hermione chuckled and put her arm through his as she led him to Gringots.

After they passed through the heavy iron doors, the travelers walked down the polished marble floor towards a Goblin at a raised desk. The Goblin was making notes in a ledger and pureposefully ignoring the humans. When he sensed they hadn't taken the hint, he gave out a weary sigh and looked up from his ledger. Who he saw made him fall out of his chair and go running off to find the manager. Shortly after, a second Goblin returned, this one wearing a gold lined robe. "How can we at Gringots be of service to you, my lord?" he asked the Doctor, bowing slightly.

"What are your current interest rates on a savings account?" the Doctor inquired.

The goblin manager sighed. "It will take us all a bit to recover so soon after the ogre wars, not to mention the turmoil the Muggles are causing. I'm afraid I can only give you one and a half percent compounded annually," he replied. "Most people are only getting one percent, but since it's you my Lord, we can offer the extra half of a percent," he said warmly.

The Doctor did a quick calculation and shrugged. "I suppose that will do, I really never have been good with money," he stated. "I would like the account to be anonymous and only available to those who have the proper password," he requested.

"They'll also have to be in possession of the vault key," the goblin manager explained to the Doctor.

The Doctor smiled and handed over the five Galleons. "Even better," he told the Goblin. He leaned over and whispered the word he wanted to use as a password.

The goblin manager raised an eyebrow and swept the gold coins off the desk. "As you say, my Lord," he said formaly. He reached into a drawer underneath the desk and pulled out a small bronze key engraved with goblin numerals. "Here is your key, my lord," he offered.

"Thank you," the Doctor replied. He pocketed the key and led the others out of the bank. Turning to face Hermione, he did the calculations again in his head. "Well let's see . . . 5 Galleons at 1.5% interest for a thousand years compounded annually is . . . 14,622,184 Galleons. Is that a lot of money? I can never tell," he wondered aloud.

Ginny punched her dad in the arm playfully. "That's cheating, you know that, right?" she asked him sarcastically. She wasn't about to make him get the money back.

"I said I was going to break a few rules," the Doctor reminded them. "Besides, what are rules for if you aren't supposed to break them now and again?" he inquired.

Hermione laughed at the Doctor's attitude. She thought he would have made a perfect Marauder. Judging from Harry's grin, he thought so as well.

Harry's grin slipped a little and he sighed deeply. "It was a nice thought, but the Weasleys won't ever accept money given to them. I know, I've tried loads of times," he explained.

The Doctor's grin made him look like a schoolboy. "That's what's so clever about this. I used Arthur's own money to make the investment," he pointed out. "Besides, I don't plan on telling him how much is in the vault until after he takes the key," he told them. Ginny leaned over and kissed her father's cheek. Hermione, who thought of the Weasleys as her second family, kissed his other cheek. "Since we have a Time machine, I suppose we have plenty of time to do some exploring while we're here,' he announced.

"Yes!" Hermione exclaimed happily. She drug Ginny with her as they raced across the street to look at a clothing store. Hermione was fascinated with how intricate the embroidery was on the gowns of this time period.

Harry smiled at his girlfriend and best friend's antics. "I guess some things are universal," he chuckled to himself while he watched the girls run their hands over the dresses they found. He was focused on them and didn't seethe man with flaming red hair and the build reminiscent of bear rushing towards him. Harry found himself caught up in the man's arms in a hug worthy of Hagrid before he could react. "Sir Harry! Welcome back!" the man bellowed.

"Let him down, Godric, he can't breathe," a dark haired woman standing a little ways off told her friend, merriment in her voice. She was dressed in a long, flowing blue robe and had eyes that spoke of great intelligence. When Godric complied, she closed the distance and also hugged the dazed Harry. "It is good to see you again," she told him. She was pushed playfully out of the way by a shorter, stouter woman with red hair wearing a yellow and red gown.

The second woman tussled Harry's unruly hair. "Welcome back, old friend," she said and also gave Harry a hug.

Hermione and Ginny turned to see what the commotion was. They froze and their mouths hung open in shock at what they were witnessing. They recognized the people from their paintings as well as their descriptions in "Hogwarts: A History". Harry was being hugged by three out the four founders of Hogwarts – Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Helga Huffelpuff.

The Doctor walked over to where Harry was to see what was going on. Rowena looked over Harry's shoulder and saw him approaching. She took a step backward and performed a very low curtsey. Helga saw what she was doing and leaned to the side to look around Harry. She gasped when she saw the Doctor and immediately followed Rowena's example.

Godric stepped around Harry and took two large steps forward so he was standing right in front of the Doctor. He went to one knee and bowed his head, his arm over his chest in a Roman style salute. "My lord," he said humbly. In a show of the mischief that would be handed down through his house for ages, Godric looked up at the Doctor, his eyes crinkling while he smiled. "I should have guessed that if Sir Harry showed up, you wouldn't be far off . . . Lord Merlin," he chuckled.


	19. Chapter 19

**Diagon Alley, London - 996 AD**

Rowena Ravenclaw looked around the group of friends slowly, sensing something wasn't right. She noticed the shocked expressions on the faces of Sir Harry, the Lady Ginny, and the Lady Hermione. Even Merlin himself looked a little confused, but it was always difficult to read him. She started to chuckle when she realized what was probably happening. "Excuse me, Lord Merlin, but when are you?" she inquired politely.

The Doctor narrowed his eyes as he looked at Rowena's face, searching for some clue as to what she was really asking. "Um . . . I believe the year is 996," he replied cautiously.

Rowena looked amused by his answer. "Yes, my lord, it is the year 996, but when are you?" she repeated. Going with an educated guess, she added, "How many times have we met before?"

"Oh, that's what you're asking. From our perspective, this is first time any of us have met you three," the Doctor replied, looking around at his friends for confirmation. Harry still looked dazed, Hermione was frowning in thought, and Ginny nodded at him, confirming this was indeed their first encounter with the three legends.

Godric Gryffindor stood up and took a step backward, his face red with embarrassment. Helga Hufflepuff stood on her toes and whispered in a singsong voice to Rowena, "_Awkward._"

Hermione closed her eyes for just a second as she processed what was happening. She had just witnessed three out of the four founders of Hogwarts greet Harry as if he were an old friend. If that wasn't mind bending enough, Godric Gryffindor acted like not only did he know the Doctor, but he respected him greatly enough to bestow the title of Merlin on him. Throughout wizarding history, only a few of the most powerful and respected wizards managed to earn that title. It was an honorific used to show respect for not only the wizard who had been granted the title, but as a way of remembering the deeds of the greatest wizard of all time. When she opened her eyes, she walked over to where Harry, Godric, and the Doctor stood. She bowed to the huge man with flaming red hair before speaking. "Pardon me, Prof. Gryffindor, but I need a few moments with these men," she said with utmost respect.

"Of course, my lady," Godric replied and stepped back to stand in between Rowena and Helga.

Hermione grabbed both Harry and the Doctor by the arms and drug them over to Ginny. When she reached the other side of the street, Hermione let go of the men's arms, stomped her foot, and glared at the Doctor. "I think I took the fact that the guy I like happens to be a Time traveling alien, rather well, thank you. Not to mention one of my closest friends happens to be his long lost daughter and an alien as well," she pointed out to the Doctor. "However, when three out of the four founders of Hogwarts show up and treat Harry like he's a long lost friend and then they start calling you Merlin . . . time for some answers!" she demanded.

Ginny smirked at Hermione's reaction. She had been amazed at how well Hermione was taking things. When Ginny first realized that she had the ability to see forwards, backwards, and across multiple time streams, she had well and truly freaked out. "Let me get the first part of that, Dad," she suggested. She led Harry and Hermione over to a craftsman's stall and pointed out the rope tying the canvas roof to stakes hammered into the hard ground. "Take a look at this rope. It runs from here to there," she said, motioning from the stake to the canvas. "It's one length of rope that is made up of thousands of smaller strands woven together," she pointed out. "This rope is Time and every living being, and even a few non-living beings, create their own timeline - the strands that make up the rope," she explained.

Ginny elbowed her dad in the ribs when he rolled his eyes at how over simplified she was making the analogy. "Everyone lives their life from beginning to end," she explained motioning from the bottom of the rope to the top. "People like us - my dad, me, and now you two, are the exceptions. Our strands aren't woven into the rope like the others," she told them. She plucked out a single strand and tied the end of it to the middle of the rope. "We can start here, and then move to here," she said while she tied a segment of the lone strand to a spot lower on the rope. "And then we can hop over here," she told them while she tied another segment of the strand much higher up.

Hermione stepped closer to the rope and traced the lone stand as it went in different directions. The Doctor stepped next to her and gave her a moment to comprehended the difficult concept. "Considering how long I've been traveling, it's a wonder I ever meet anyone in the right order," he joked.

Harry looked at Ginny, still slightly confused. "Let me see if I have this straight. Time is a rope and certain strands can leave the rest and weave in and out on their own path," he tried to paraphrase.

The Doctor shook his head and put his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Actually, Time is nothing like a rope, but if it helps you wrap your head around it, yes, Time is a rope," he said with just a slight bit of condescension in his voice. A corner of the Doctor's mouth turned up as he realized he was talking to Harry like he used to talk to Rory.

"That actually makes sense," Hermione said, pleased that she had followed Ginny's explanation easily. "The Founders know us from a point in our future, which is their past," she blurted out. She saw she had just confused Harry more. "At some point in the future, we go back into their past and they meet us for the first time from their perspective. When we do that, the Doctor must do something pretty amazing to earn him the title of Merlin," she tried to explain.

The Doctor ran his hand through his hair. "Um . . . about that," he started to say. "Camelot only fell about twenty years ago, so it's possible they knew me from court, all though I don't remember them," he told his friends. All eyes were on him. "You see . . . Arthur's life was very important to how your species progressed, so I stopped in on him every now and then to make sure things were going as they should," he admitted. "Whenever I was at court, I used the name Merlin," he said sheepishly. "How was I to know that people would blow things out of proportions and make me out to be some sort of super wizard?" he asked rhetorically.

Ginny stared at the Doctor, not quite believing what he was telling her. "You're the original Merlin?" she asked her dad for clarification.

"Yes, I am, but that was ages ago," the Doctor replied. "I looked a bit older and had longer, lighter colored hair that was a bit curly. Not a bit like what you lot think I looked like," he told them. "I have no idea where the phrases wizards use come from. Except for that one time when I was being held by the FBI in 1969, I've never even had a beard," he added.

When Hermione thought about the phrase "Merlin's beard", it forced her to think of the other one that was used to swear with, the one she had used earlier that morning. She blushed when she realized she had referred to the man she was hoping to date as having "saggy balls." If it were possible for a person to die of embarrassment, Hermione was sure she would have been a fresh corpse at that moment.

Ginny had jumped to the same thought as Hermione and bit her lip to keep from laughing. Harry looked her in the eyes, confusion written on his face. "Merlin's saggy balls," she mouthed silently to him. Harry wasn't as successful as Ginny at holding things in and ended up laughing out loud.

"That will be enough of that, young lady," the Doctor warned his daughter, his tone half serious. Ginny lost it and started laughing along with Harry. The laughter spread and soon Hermione was swept up in the merry contagion. The Doctor threw his hands in the air, turned around, and walked over to the Founders. Ginny followed right behind him. Hermione was about to follow, but Harry put his hand on her arm to stop her for a moment.

"Just wanted to do a quick reality check," Harry informed Hermione. "I'm dating Merlin's daughter and you have just started dating Merlin himself," he stated, wanting to make sure he hadn't gone completely mad.

Hermione rolled her eyes at Harry. "We haven't even had a first date yet, so I don't know if you can actually call it dating," she corrected him. After a brief pause, she realized what Harry was trying to say. "Aside from that, you seem to have it. You are indeed dating Merlin's daughter," she assured him.

Harry took a long, calculating look at Hermione. "That's cool, but I'm not sure of how I feel about having you as a future mother-in-law," he said with a straight face. Hermione tried to step on his foot, but Harry was expecting that and moved away before she could strike. He walked backwards towards the Doctor and stuck his tongue out at her. Hermione tried to glare him into oblivion, but her heart wasn't in it.

A large, white and black owl swooped out of the sky and dove directly at Godric. The bird came to rest on his outstretched arm after dropping a scroll in his other hand. Godric unrolled the parchment,read it once, and handed the scroll to Rowena. "Blast it! I never thought he would actually go and do it!" he swore.

Rowena read the scroll twice, just to make herself believe what she was reading. She looked over at Godric, a tear in her eye. "You did everything a friend could, but he wouldn't listen," she told him softly.

Godric shook his head, his red mane flowing back and forth. "There must have been something else I could have done to help him see reason," he berated himself.

The Doctor looked from Rowena to Godric and back again. He leaned forward to Rowena, his curiosity peaked. "I take it something bad is happening," he prodded.

Rowena turned her eyes away from the Doctor, unable to look him in the face. "It's Salazar, my Lord. When he left us, he swore he would release his fury on the school and cleanse it of all the half-bloods and Muggle born," she explained. "This scroll is from one of the teachers at the school we opened a few years ago. He said there was some sort of army gathering in the forest and they are shielded. The teachers are unable to scry and find out who, or what, they are," she told them.

Harry's eyes grew large when he realized what was happening. He grabbed the Head of his House by the arm. "Prof. Gryffindor, has Salazar Slytherin sealed the Chamber of Secrets yet?" he demanded.

Godric looked down at the brave young man who had taught him so much. "Chamber of what? What are you talking about, Sir Harry?" he responded, forgetting about the temporal incongruities.

"We have to get to Hogwarts, now!" Harry yelled, looking around, trying to remember which direction the TARDIS was in. He had dealt with enough Slytherins during his time at school to know how they thought. "The school is going to be attacked on two fronts. The army will attack from outside, while the Basilisk attacks from inside the school itself," he explained rapidly.

"BASILISK!" Godric bellowed. The three Founders looked quickly at each other. They had known Sir Harry and the others since they were young students themselves. It never even occurred to them to doubt their hero. Godric held his arms out to his sides. Rowena took one hand and Helga took the other. The three of them turned their faces skyward, concentrating on the heavens.

The Doctor felt the hairs on the back of neck rise. "Oh, this won't be pleasant," he muttered. The hairs sticking up on the back of his neck had nothing to do with a sense of foreboding, but everything to do with a build up of static electricity around them. He had just time enough to look over at Hermione and grin at how her normally bushy hair was sticking out at all different angels before a tremendous bolt of lightning struck them all.

The lightning bolt in question went on to behave in a rather singular manner. Instead of dissipating into the Earth like any sensible flow of electrons would do, it rebounded back into the sky. The lightning bolt leapt from cloud to cloud on its way North and slightly to the West. It traveled from England to Scotland in a blink of an eye. Once in Scotland, the lightning bolt came back to ground with an ear shattering crash of thunder in front of Hogwarts.

Hermione looked around and saw that they had been transported to the front courtyard of the school. Part of her mind was happy to finally find out what had caused the dark scorch mark in the stones just in front of the main doors. The rest of her mind was thankful to have survived the trip. Lightning travel had been banned for centuries by her time. There had been far too many deaths, both in the wizards using it and the helpless bystanders who might have been in the vicinity, to allow it to be used. Hermione saw Harry patting a smoldering patch of Ginny's robe, trying to keep the small flame put out. She grinned to herself when she saw how funny Helga's hair looked, sticking out from the excess static electricity. She saw Harry glance towards her and swallow a laugh. Not wanting to even guess at how bad her own hair looked, she pointed a threatening finger at Harry. "Not one word, Harry James Potter," she warned menacingly. Turning to look at the Doctor, she licked her finger, and pinched the corner of his bow tie which was smoking alarmingly.

"We are definitely not doing that _ever_ again," the Doctor proclaimed loudly.

Helga tried without success to get her hair under control. before responding to the Doctor. "We're sorry, Lord Merlin, but it was the easiest and quickest way to get us all here," she apologized.

Godric grabbed Harry by the shoulder. "Where is this chamber you spoke of?" he demanded.

The Doctor remembered the stories Hermione had told him about Harry and Ginny's adventure in the Chamber of Secrets. "Harry - Ginny, show Godric how to get to the Chamber of Secrets. The rest of us will see what we can do about this mysterious army," he suggested.

"This way!" Harry shouted as he and Ginny ran off into the castle, headed towards where Moaning Myrtle's bathroom would have been in this version of Hogwarts. Godric adjusted his cloak, making it easier to get to his sword, and followed right behind them.

A man in a plain brown robe ran up to Rowena. "Prof. Ravenclaw, thank the heavens you got our message. The army is advancing and it is headed towards the main bridge," he managed to say in between great gulps of air.

"Gather the students and lead them to Hogsmeade through one of the tunnels. I'm sure I have enough help to secure the bridge," she said confidently. She noticed the man looking at the new comers skeptically. "Prof. Medding, it is my pleasure to introduce you to the Lady Hermione and Lord Merlin," she stated formally.

Medding looked Rowena to see if she was joking. When she met his eyes with a calm, serious look, his eyes grew huge. Dropping to his knees, he bowed and stammered, "Wel . . . welcome, to . . . to Hogwarts, My Lord and Lady."

The Doctor rushed over and pulled Medding up. "I hate it when people do that," he told Rowena, clearly irritated.

Rowena winked at Hermione and replied, "I know, my Lord. That's what makes it so entertaining." She motioned towards the castle with an imperious wave. "Go along, Medding, you have your orders," she commanded. Medding bowed again to the Doctor and ran to the castle.

The Doctor scampered over to the high wall and climbed up so he could have a better view of the bridge and the forest behind it. He had his binoculars out and was scanning from side to side. Hermione was watching him, a sad look in her eyes. Helga Huffelpuff stepped closer to her and whispered, "What is wrong, my Lady?"

Hermione kept her eyes on the Doctor's back. "I was starting to really hope there might be something between us, but everyone knows that Merlin only loved one woman - the Lady of the Lake," she replied. "I guess things don't work out for us after all," she sighed. Hermione finally looked at Helga when she and Rowena started giggling.

Rowena fought valiantly to control her mirth. "I know how you two hate . . .what was the word you used? Oh yes, spoilers," she stated. "But I think we can make an exception this one time," she said in a conspiratorial voice. "Lake - River - Pond, the names mean the same thing to him. It's you who will forever be our Lord's Lady," she told her one time mentor firmly.

Hermione took in a deep breath as Rowena's words sunk in. She didn't understand the first part of what Rowena had said, but the second part gave her hope. Hermione shook her head in amazement and pointed at herself. "Me? I'm the Lady of the Lake?" she inquired. Rowena and Helga smiled and nodded in unison. Hermione looked back at the Doctor, a new look of confidence in her eyes.

Helga leaned over to Rowena and whispered, "It's so cute to see them at the beginning of their relationship."

The Doctor hopped off the wall, and tucked his binoculars back into his jacket pocket. He put a protective arm around Hermione's shoulder and glanced back towards the bridge. "Zombies . . . why is it always zombies?" he asked no one in particular.


	20. Chapter 20

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, 996 AD**

The Doctor let go of Hermione's shoulder and started to manically pace back and forth. "All right let's review the facts," he said, not caring who was listening to him. "We are facing about a thousand zombies and from what I saw, they appear to be the shambling, flesh eating variety rather than the talk radio or Ministry of Motor Vehicles type, and that's bad," he told no one in particular, his face glum. The Doctor spun around on the ball of his foot and suddenly looked happier. "Of course being zombies, that means they are already dead, so I won't feel guilty about destroying them...that's good," he said much more cheerfully. The Doctor took another step, turned around, and froze in place. He held out his finger and made motions in the air as if he was working on a complex computation on a white board. "... divide by alpha and carry the two..." he muttered to himself, before his face went back to looking glum. "With a thousand of them and just four of us, the odds of us all surviving are very bad," he told his friends.

What Hermione saw in Rowena and Helga's behavior only reinforced in her mind that they indeed knew the Doctor. They both had their arms crossed with bemused smiles on their faces, waiting patiently for him to finish with his ranting. Hermione decided to follow their example and leaned against the short stone wall that kept the uncoordinated from falling off the edge of the bridge into the chasm below.

The Doctor was completely oblivious to what was going on around him as he let his mind run wild. He snapped his fingers and turned to face Hermione and the two female Founders. "Of course I failed to factor in that I happen to have three extremely powerful witches to back me up. That's very good," he surmised.

Hermione frowned while she interjected herself into the Doctor's flow of consciousness. "I'm not really sure how much help we can be, Doctor," she told him. "The undead, especially zombies, are resistant to most forms of direct magic. Even the three unforgivable curses are useless against them. They're under someone else's control, can't feel pain, and are already dead," she pointed out.

The Doctor just looked at her for a moment and then went back to pacing. "That is very, _very_ bad," he said slowly. He paced back and forth several more times before stopping in mid stride. "You said they were resistant to direct magic. I take it they are affected by normal physics and indirect magic," he stated, starting to form a plan. Hermione nodded, wondering what he had come up with. His sour expression vanished and she recognized the same happy look Harry and Ron got when they came up with a ingenious scheme to get around the rules. As much as she hated to admit it, over the years she had grown ever more involved in their plotting and had found that she secretly enjoyed breaking the rules. The Doctor motioned for the the three women to join him in a quick huddle as he started to explain his plan to them.

After waiting for the enemy army to finally arrive, the Doctor and Hermione stood next to each other at the end of the bridge closest to Hogwarts. He could fsense her tension and gave her hand a quick squeeze. Hermione squeezed his hand back and squared her shoulders. The first wave of the shambling monsters was almost at the far end of the bridge. They watched in disgust as one of the zombies in the front row lost an arm that had barely been holding on. A zombie behind the first one picked up the arm and started chewing on it, an appetizer before the main meal. The irony of what they saw wasn't lost on either Time traveler. "Death Eaters," they muttered in unison.

The Doctor looked over his shoulder at Rowena and Helga who were standing a few feet behind and slightly to either side of Hermione and him. "Ready?" he shouted. The older witches nodded and pointed their wands at the advancing hoard. The Doctor looked at Hermione fondly before excitedly whispering, "Showtime!"

Hermione looked over the side of the bridge down to the river running beneath them. She closed her eyes and concentrated on what she wanted to do. With her eyes still closed, she gave her wand the precise swish and flick she had learned as a first year student while shouting, "**_WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!_**" A huge column of water sprang forth from the river and rocketed skywards. Hermione opened her eyes and used all of her mental strength to make the column of water arch and land in the direct center of the bridge. Both sides in the battle were splashed by the waves.

As soon as the water hit the bridge, Rowena and Helga stepped past the Doctor and Hermione. They wove their wands in a complex pattern and yelled, "**_TEMPESTIA FRIGIDUM!_**" Twin cyclones blasted out of the tips of their wands, sending a double strength arctic storm racing across the bridge. The gale force winds blew apart a few zombies in the front row and pushed the rest back for a few seconds. Those not busy munching on their fallen comrades began their slow march forward once the winds died down.

The Doctor was at a loss for words to describe what happened next. The first wave of zombies made it back onto the bridge and then all chaos broke loose. It was liking watching a Disney on Ice production if the entire crew had just been on a weekend drinking binge. Zombies slid from side to side, fell flat on their faces, and generally found it difficult to balance on the sheet of ice the three witches had created. Some of the less held together zombies split into pieces when the slid into the stone wall lining the bridge. His amusement ended when he saw a fatal flaw in his plan. As more and more zombies fell onto the ice, the ranks behind them simply walked across their backs. After a quick calculation, the Doctor realized at least half of the zombies would end up reaching their end of the bridge. He snapped his fingers as he thought up a "plan b".

Grabbing Hermione by the shoulders, the Doctor looked her in the eyes. "People tell me that you're the brightest witch of your generation," he told her. He smiled a bit as he added, "From what I've seen, I have to disagree, you must be the brightest witch in ten generations," he praised her. "I need you to come up with a way to chill everything down at that end of the bridge to near absolute zero," he requested desperately. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and tapped his palm. "If you can do that, I might be able to add something to this fight," he said softly.

Hermione's eyes widen when she caught on to what the Doctor was hoping to do. "If this works, I'm not helping clean up," she joked. She frowned for a moment while she tried to come up with an appropriate spell. Even though improvisation was extremely dangerous when casting magic, she knew the mechanics well enough to attempt it. She held her wand out and started twirling it large, quick circles. As she slowed her movements down, she stated, "**_MOLECULAR IMMOBULUS,_**" causing the air temperature around the zombies to plummet. As soon as the words left her mouth, Hermione collapsed at the Doctor's feet from over exertion. He spared a quick glance down at her and then back up to the advancing zombies who had stopped in their tracks. The water vapor in the air had crystallized, making everything, even the zombies, sparkle. "Sparkling undead, now there's something no one will ever believe," he muttered. Holding out his sonic screwdriver, he set the gain to maximum, and slowly slid the ring that controlled the frequency. After a couple of seconds worth of trying, the Doctor hit on the right frequency and created a resonance wave that swept through the frozen zombies. They shattered like a rose dipped in liquid nitrogen being smashed onto a table.

Rowena and Helga stood awestruck at the collective powers of their sworn Lord and Lady. They snapped out of it when the Doctor dropped to his knees and cradled Hermione's head in his lap. Helga rushed forward and touched the tip of her wand to Hermione's forehead. The head of Huffelpuff House sighed in relief when she felt Hermione's life force through her wand. "She's but asleep, my Lord," she told the Doctor. "It's a wonder she survived creating a new spell and throwing so much of her self behind it the first time it's used," she clucked.

Rowena looked at the zombie debris in disgust. It would take the ground keeping staff at least a week before they could clean everything up enough to let the students back in that area. Thinking of students made her turn to face the castle. She was worried first for her lover, Godric, and then for Sir Harry and his future bride. "Try not to get yourself killed, my love," she whispered.

**********DrW**********

Harry and Ginny led Godric Gryffindor to the area that would eventually become the second floor girl's bathroom. They were forced to stop when they found the door to the bathroom shut and magically locked. "Prof. Slytherin's Personal Bathroom - Stay Out!" was painted on the stout oak door. Ginny pulled out her wand and pointed it at the lock, which was shaped like a coiled serpant. "**_ALOHOMORA!_**" she shouted and flicked her wand. The lock spat out gold colored sparks from the serpent's mouth, but remained firmly locked.

Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it at the door. "I have an idea," he told Ginny. She stepped to the side to give him room to cast his spell. He mentally made the switch from English to Parseltongue and uttered the same spell Ginny had just tried. There was an audible click as the door unlocked itself and then swung inward. Harry bowed and motioned with his arm to welcome the other two into the room.

As Godric strode into the room, he glanced down at Harry, curious. "You never told me you were a Parselmouth," he informed the shorter man.

Harry sighed deeply and then replied, "Long story." Godric nodded, eagerly awaiting the opportunity to sit around several steins of butterbeer and listen to that story. Once Godric and Ginny were inside, Harry shut the door behind them and walked over to the ornate sink in the middle of the floor. Again he used Parseltongue to command the sink to open. The sink split into several sections and revealed a very steep, sloping tunnel underneath. Harry jumped into the tunnel before Ginny or Godric could react. He was unwilling to let his friends face what ever was at the end of the passage before he did. Ginny shrugged and jumped in after her boyfriend.

Godric looked at the tunnel and shook his head. He was proud that two such courageous young people had been sorted into his house. They had just done something that made his insides weak. As a large framed man, he had never been fond of tight places. He swallowed his fear and muttered a few choice words describing Salazar's heritage before jumping after them.

During the long slide to the cavern that housed the Chambers of Secrets, Harry took the time to notice the differences a thousand years could make. The tunnel walls were clean instead of streaked with a millenium of grime. The most notable difference was the vastly improved smell. He guessed it must have been some time in the future before the castle extended its sewers this deep. The tunnel opened up into the roof of the cavern that led to the Chamber of Secrets. He dropped from the ceiling and landed on his backside. Sounds above him warned him that someone else was on their way down and he scooted out of the way.

Ginny sensed rather than saw the tunnel opening out in the cavern ceiling. She landed on her feet and then dove into a shoulder roll to burn off momentum. Cursing and yelling came down the tunnel shortly after and soon Godric was deposited in a heap on the floor. He stood up, a fierce snarl on his face. "I think Salazar did that on purpose. The monkey faced bastard knows I really don't like cramped places," he swore. His scowl turned into a grin as he looked at Harry. "Old snake butt should have remembered what you taught us. Courage isn't the lack of fear, it's acknowledging you're afraid and doing what needs to be done in spite of it," he quoted.

Harry wondered briefly about the nature of paradoxes. What Godric had just said was one of the first lessons all Gryffindor students learned during their first year. It was even written above the doorway leading out of the dorm. He shook his head to clear it and motioned for Godric to follow him. "The Chamber is this way, come on," he prompted and started walking cautiously towards the end of the cavern.

As they made their way, the three Gryffindors came across several shed snake skins. They ranged in size from a mere meter in length to over 10 meters long, still a far cry from the 20 meter one Harry and Ron encountered in their second year. Eventually they reached the Chamber's entrance and found the door open. They could all see a man dressed in a robe made of emerald and black silk standing at the rear of the Chamber of Secrets. They entered the Chamber as quietly as they could. Godric motioned to either side of the central path. "You two make your ways along the sides. I need to see if I can talk Salazar out of this. I owe him that much," he whispered. Harry and Ginny nodded and crept off behind the pillars shaped like snakes on opposite sides of the path. Godric gave them a moment to sneak away and then started walking down the center of the aisle.

Salazar Slytherin, turned his bald head to the side for a moment as he heard loud, familiar footsteps behind him. He looked into the water in front of the giant statue for a moment before whispering something in Parseltongue. When he was done, he turned around to look at his old friend. "You shouldn't have come, Godric," he told the bear of a man walking towards him.

"I had to try and talk you out of this ridiculous course of action, Salazar," Godric replied gravely.

"Ridiculous...ridiculous you say?" Salazar spat. "Ridiculous is you standing up for Muggles and their spawn after everything they've done to me...to us!" he shouted. "You were my closest friend, you should be standing with me rather than against me as I try to rid the world of their filth," he implored.

"That's not what Merlin taught us," Godric stated sadly.

Salazar took a step towards his friend, desperately wanting him to see things his way. "Merlin abandoned us, or have you forgotten. It was only his guidance that kept the Muggles in check. After he left, Camelot fell and the Muggles turned on us," he reminded Godric.

Godric shook his head sadly. "I know you hurt, but you can't take it out on the innocent," he replied.

"Innocent?" Salazar shouted. "How dare you use that word to describe Muggles!" he fumed. "Need I remind you of what they took from both of us?" he demanded. Godric refused to meet Salazar's eyes. "She was your sister, damn it! You stood by me at the altar while I married Gertrude. You were with me when we found what remained of her tied to stake after being burned alive by the Muggles, simply because she was different from them!" he shouted.

"Aye, Salazar. What you say is true," Godric acknowledged. "It is also true that I rounded up the village elders with you and helped you execute them. After that, I stopped you from killing everyone else in the village," Godric responded. "Not every Muggle is evil, and neither are the wizards and witches born from them," he tried to point out for what seemed like the hundredth time. They had been having this argument ever since they found the remains of his sister. Things came to a head when Godric, backed by Helga, and eventually Rowena voted to allow Half-bloods and even Muggle born magical children into their school.

Salazar sighed deeply before speaking again. "It seems we are at an impasse, my old friend," he pronounced. "Soon, my army above will shake the defenses of the school and my newest creation will cleanse it from the inside," he promised.

Godric squared his shoulders and smirked at Salazar. "I'm afraid I have to give you some bad news. As for your army, I believe Rowena, Helga, and some people we bumped into in Diagon Alley should be able to take care of them," he boasted. Salazar raised one thin eyebrow, inviting Godric to continue. "Isn't always amazing how the Lady of the Lake and her consort, Lord Merlin, always show up when we need them the most," he mused.

Slazar scoffed at the other man's words. "Do you take me for a simpleton?" he demanded. "I sincerely doubt that Merlin and Hermione just happened to show up," he said with a sneer.

Godric went on, ignoring Salazar's comments. "As for the Basilisk, I think the three of us can handle a snake, no matter how big," he stated confidently.

Salazar was about to question Godric's counting skills when Harry and Ginny stepped out of the shadows. He swallowed quickly as he recognized them. His stomach fell as he realized that with the two of them here, it was entirely possible for Merlin and Hermione to be topside. "Now!" he yelled in Parseltongue and covered his eyes with his arm.

Godric reached for his sword, but he was knocked unconscious before he could use it. The basilisk had slammed into his head from behind before slithering off into the pool. "Harry, protect Prof. Gryffindor and see if you can drag him to the door. I have a score to settle," Ginny yelled while ripping off a piece of her robe. She tied it across her eyes while Harry ran to protect Godric. He knelt down next to the slumbering man and erected an opaque shield that fit over them like a tiny igloo. The black hemisphere jerked a few feet at a time as Harry tried dragging the much larger man back towards the entrance.

Slazar had put his arm down temporarily to see what was happening when he heard the basilisk slide into the water again as it moved to strike from somewhere else. He laughed at what Ginny was doing. "Do you honestly think that will help you girl, or do you just not want to see the end coming?" he taunted. He had no way of knowing Ginny was able to use her hearing as well as temporal senses to locate things in the room. She rolled out of the way just as the basilisk struck at her from the water to her left. The poisonous fangs managed to leave a long tear in her robe, but failed to actually touch her.

Ginny was thinking hard to come up with a way to save her, Harry, and Godric. She was hampered by the knowledge that she had to make sure the basilisk lived through their encounter since she and Harry faced it a thousand years from now in the future. Even though she was her father's daughter, the soldier part of her mind told her she had to do what ever she needed in order to protective herself and those she cared for. She timed her next move so she could make a dash for Salazar Slytherin as she dodged the basilisk again. She lifted up her impromptu blindfold for just a split second, allowing Ginny to confirm where Salazar was standing. Two quick steps and a forward somersault brought her directly in front of the head of Slytherin House. She drew back her arm and punched him in the mouth with all of her martial skill.

Salazar stumbled backward and spit out his front teeth. "You bitch! You hit me!" he lisped indignantly.

Ginny felt the warm wetness of Salazar's blood on her hand. "Rough part about controlling a basilisk is you have to speak Parseltongue. Pretty hard to do when you can't make a 'sss' sound anymore," she pointed out before racing back towards the door where Harry was lifting Godric through.

Harry finally managed to get Godric through the door, wondering if the Founder might actually be as heavy as Hagrid. Ginny's voice carried down the center aisle, letting him know what she had done. He closed his eyes and faced the Chamber again. "Feed on the one bleeding," he suggested in Parseltongue. The basilisk heard him and darted it's tongue out to taste the air. It did smell the sweet, coppery taste of blood and slowly slithered toward the source.

Salazar shoved his tongue into the gap where his front teeth used to be. No matter how hard he tried, the lack of teeth made it impossible to make the sound Ginny had described. He covered his eyes with his arm again as he turned around slowly, trying to figure out where his precious basilisk had gone to. He mumbled and lisped, but was unable to speak to the giant snake he had magically bred from a rooster's egg fertilized by a toad.

Ginny jumped through the door and Harry commanded it to shut and seal itself as they heard Salazar scream once in agony as the basilisk struck. The large door swung shut and the multitude of engraved serpents sprang out to lock and seal the door until Tom Riddle would come along eventually to unlock them once again.

Godric moaned and sat up, rubbing the back of his head. He looked at first Ginny and then Harry. "I'm guessing that since we're still alive, Salazar isn't?" he inquired.

Harry knelt down next to Godric. "I never really knew how close you two were. I'm sorry for your loss," he offered.

Godric clasped Harry's arm tightly. "I had to try and save him from himself one last time. He made his choices and now he has paid for them," he said sadly. Harry helped Godric stand up. "Well, we might as well go see how the others fared," he suggested and took them each by the hand. He closed his eyes and apparated all three of them to the castle courtyard above them.


	21. Chapter 21

**The Burrow, Ottery St. Catchpole**

Molly Weasley paced back and forth in her kitchen, wondering where her daughter and the others had gone off to. They had said they would be right back and that had been hours ago. Night had fallen on the Burrow and the cornfields housed too many shadows where the enemy could hide for her liking. She had been so worried about the young ones, she had sent an owl to the school asking if they had returned there without telling her. Tonks had intercepted the message and had in turn sent an owl to Remus requesting him to meet her and Ace at the Burrow so they could start figuring out where to look for the missing students.

Tonks apparated onto the path that led up to the Burrow and Molly was subjected to yet another shock for the day. Holding onto Tonks' hand (and looking rather green) was none other than Ace McShane. Ginny had mentioned in her owls that a female Black CAT had shown up to help the Doctor, but due to security concerns, she had never mentioned the woman's name. "Arthur!" Molly yelled over her shoulder before looking back at the path in disbelief.

Arthur Weasley ran to his wife's side expecting to see his daughter and her companions. He froze in shock when instead of Ginny, he saw Padfoot's fiance next to Tonks. "That looks like Ace," he managed to say, stating the obvious.

"Yes, and she doesn't look like she's aged a day since we last saw her. How rude!" Molly replied.

Ace ran down the rest of the path and embraced a still scowling Molly and a very confused Arthur. "Molly... Arthur, it's so good to see you again," she gushed. Molly's scowl fled as she realized this was indeed the odd witch who had helped the Order and snared Padfoot's heart.

"What... how... when?" Arthur stammered, still utterly confused since they had all assumed Ace had died the same night as Harry's parents.

Ace held up her hand to stop any further questions. "I'll explain later. First you need to tell me exactly what happened to Ginny and the others," she ordered.

"The Doctor went outside and took Ginny, Harry, and Hermione with him. A short while later, I heard a strange sliding / clanging noise coming from my garden. When I looked out the window, the Doctor's blue box faded out of view," Molly explained rapidly.

Ace looked from side to side, wondering what she could tell the Weasleys. She didn't know if the Doctor had told them what he really was and didn't want to say anything if he hadn't. "Did the Doctor say anything before he left?" she inquired.

Arthur nodded before speaking. "He asked for Ginny to come with him to help him make a 'precision jump', whatever that means," he relayed to Ace.

Ace began to chuckle. "That explains everything. He never was able to pilot the old girl very well," she told them.

Molly's eyes grew wide as she made a connection that had been laying in front of her. "The Doctor is the same one you used to mention, isn't he?" she asked suddenly.

Again, Ace wasn't sure of what the Doctor had or had not told the Weasleys. She decided to deflect the question with one of her own. "Why would the Doctor ask for Ginny's help in piloting the TAR...I mean his blue box?" she wondered aloud. Hermione would have been Ace's first choice to help fly the temperamental Type 40.

Molly and Arthur looked at each other for a moment, silently debating the way only couples who have been together for years could do. Arthur took Molly's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Molly put her other hand on Ace's shoulder. "I think we should discuss this inside, dear," she suggested.

Tonks waited outside for Remus to appear. After a few moments, a flash of light announced her boyfriend's arrival. He walked over to her and gave her a short kiss. He still wasn't sure why such a beautiful young woman had decided to love a battered old werewolf like him. After Tonks kissed him back, showing him how to really do it, Remus forced himself to break away. "Is it really Ace?" he whispered.

Before Tonks could respond, they both heard Ace's very recognizable voice shouting from within the house. "Ginny's his WHAT?" Ace bellowed. Tonks and Remus dashed to the door, certain they didn't want to miss whatever was being said.

**********DrW**********

A half hour after Tonks' arrival, the TARDIS materialized again in Molly's garden. The unusual form of travel sent the garden gnomes scurrying into their holes. Ginny was the first out the door and she looked up into the dark sky in dismay. "I told you I had the temporal stabilizer set correctly, but you wouldn't listen," she yelled over her shoulder. "It's night time. Mum's going to be angry," she warned the Doctor. The rest of the travelers exited and stopped right outside of the TARDIS' doors. None of them wanted to be the first to greet Molly's wrath, so they just stayed near the TARDIS.

"I really think you should go first," the Doctor suggested to Ginny. "She's much less likely to punch you in the face," he reasoned. His jaw still hurt a little from when Molly hit him the last time.

"Uh-uh! I've faced Daleks and they don't scare me half as much as my mum does," Ginny replied.

"I'll do it," Harry volunteered. "Your parents really seem to like me for some reason," he explained with a shrug. His ability to remain humble even after everything he had done and the fame that came with just being him was one of the reasons Ginny loved him so much. She hugged him and followed him into the house, the others close behind them.

The scene they found in the house let Ginny know she was in deep, deep trouble. Her family, including Bill who must have been called home to help look for them, were all sitting patiently in the living room waiting for them to come inside. The only members of her immediate family not present were Charlie and Percy. Charlie was still in Romania and Percy was such a ponce that they rarely spoke to him anymore. In the older boys' places were Tonks, Remus, and Ace. The silence was deafening. The fact that Molly hadn't started yelling yet scared Ginny more than an entire cyber-legion.

Molly was relieved to see her daughter, Harry, and Hermione back in one piece. She was still undecided when it came to the Doctor, especially after some of the things Ace had told her about her travels with the strange _man_. She was unable to hold her tongue any longer when she noticed the long tear in Ginny's school robe. "Ginnerva Weasley! What did you do to your robe?" she demanded.

Ginny glanced down and then stuck her hand through the rip. "I must have torn it on the Basilisk's fang," she replied calmly.

Molly's cheeks flushed in anger. "That's not funny, young lady!" she scolded. "That...creature is not something we joke about in this house!" she yelled.

Ginny looked closer at her robe and an odd stain on one side of it. "It wasn't meant to be, Mum," she replied. Ginny sniffed her robe and then jerked her head back quickly. "I think I might have rolled through some snake poop during the fight," she told Molly. "If you don't mind, I really need to take a shower," she said and started towards the stairs.

"I'm next!" Hermione chimed in and rushed over to the stairs. "I slipped on some ice and landed in a pile of zombie slush," she explained to those sitting in the living room. "I don't think that smell will ever come out of my robe," she sighed wearily.

Molly looked at Hermione and then Ginny. Her mouth was open, and for once she didn't know what to say. The Doctor took the opportunity to step into the conversation. "Sounds like a splendid idea and I can have the TARDIS clean and mend their robes when they're through," he said, making sure he stayed out of Molly's reach. "The old girl uses a wonderful 51st century dry cleaning technique that will make the clothes repel grime, greatly cutting down how often you have to launder them," he added, hoping a mother of seven would appreciate that.

Arthur stood up from the couch and ran his fingers through his thin, red hair. "What were you four doing in the Chamber of Secrets?" he demanded sternly.

"Actually, it wasn't all of us," Harry informed Arthur. "The Doctor and Hermione were fighting off a zombie horde while Ginny and I fought Salazar Slytherin," he said, suddenly realizing how completely absurd that sounded. He turned to look at the Doctor. "How do you explain something like that so people can understand?" he wondered.

Ace snickered, drawing curious glances from Tonks and Remus. "He usually doesn't bother. It's one of his more irritating traits," she teased the Doctor. "I don't think I got more than a handful of answers from him that made sense the whole time we traveled together.

Remus shook his head in wonder when things finally clicked for him. "Wait...he isn't...I mean he can't be...your Doctor, can he? You always described him as looking much older and, well, shorter," he tried to say.

"I got younger and taller," the Doctor replied, somewhat annoyed.

"Merlin's saggy balls," Remus swore. He looked quizzically at Harry when the young wizard failed to smother a laugh. "Did I miss something?" he asked Harry with an arched eyebrow.

Hermione had managed much better at stifling her laugh. "Look, you guys explain to them what happened while we clean up," she instructed. Ginny nodded her head in agreement and the two young women made their way up the stairs to the bathroom.

The Doctor looked slowly around the living room, trying to read the various facial expressions. even after all of these years, he still had problems reading humans at times. While he was trying to decide if Arthur was angry, confused, or just had a touch of gas, the Doctor suddenly remembered why he had dragged Hermione, Harry, and Ginny a thousands years into the past in the first place. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his vault key. "I hope you don't mind, Arthur, but I took the liberty of investing _your_ money for you," he told him. The Doctor walked over to Arthur and handed him the key. "The password is 'Raxacorifallapatorious'," he informed him.

Ace overheard the Doctor and gave him a questioning look. "Raxacorifallapatorious ? Why choose that place as a password?" she asked him curiously.

The Doctor chuckled for a moment in boyish humour as he remembered what had caused him to chose that particular password. "Well, you see, while we were in Gringotts, the Goblin assistant manager seem to develop a very sour stomach when he saw me. The smell was so bad it reminded me of a Slitheen squished into a human suit," he replied. "When the manager asked me for a password, the first thing that popped into my head was Raxacorifallapatorious," he explained. "Besides, can you think of a less likely word to be spoken by the wizarding population?" he countered.

Bill Weasley got up from the couch and walked over to where his dad was standing. The design of the key had caught his eye. "Can I see that key for a moment, Dad?" he requested. Arthur handed over the key to his second oldest son. Bill turned the key over in his hand. The combination of intricate scroll work as well as the absurdly low account number scrawled in Goblin numerals dated the key to somewhere around a thousand years ago. "I need to use the fireplace," he told Arthur and made his way to the extra large fireplace on the far wall. He grabbed a pinch of the green floo powder and made a secure call to his boss at Gringotts. When the ancient Goblin answered, like Bill knew he would - Goblins didn't take days off after all, he rattled off the account number and the password. As a curse breaker, Bill had learned early on how to memorize extremely long pass phrases after only hearing them once. The Goblin on the other end of the floo network did a small incantation and the current account balance and other pertinent information for the account was magically written on a piece of parchment. Bill's boss rubbed the bridge of his long, pointed nose for a few moments before holding up the parchment for Bill to read. All Bill could do was blink a few times as he read the amount and who the account belonged to. "Thank... thank you sir, we will be in touch with the bank tomorrow," he assured the Goblin. The Green flames in the fireplace died down and Bill got up from the ground, his legs a bit shaky. He looked at the Doctor in wonder.

Tonks noticed how awestruck Bill looked. "OK, I know it's none of my business, but I have to ask. What's in that vault?" she inquired.

Bill glanced at Tonks and then looked back at the Doctor. "As of this morning, 14,622,184 Galleons," he muttered, distracted by what else was on the parchment. All eyes turned towards Bill. Molly covered her mouth in shock. "That's not the most amazing thing though," Bill added. He held up the key for everyone to see. "The account is anonymous, but whoever knows the account number and the password can see who originally opened the account," he told his friends and family. "This particular account was opened by none other than Merlin himself," he stated.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "If you don't mind, I prefer to be known as the Doctor these days," he requested. Fred fell off the arm of the couch he had been sitting on. Tonks' hair started rotating through the color spectrum while she sat in frozen awe. Molly was shaken to her core. She did what any good British citizen would do if they had just been told they had been raising Merlin's daughter. She stood up and made her way into the kitchen to make an extra strong pot of tea.

**********DrW**********

When Ginny and Hermione had finished cleaning up, they had come down the stairs to find everyone but Harry and the Doctor in shock. Her mum was so rattled, she was spilling the tea as she tried to pour it into cups. The Doctor noticed the young women return and suggested a trip to the TARDIS as a way for them to escape the flood of questions he was sure would be forthcoming. The Doctor suggested the students try looking through his wardrobe before going out and buying costumes for the ball. Tonks decided to go with the younger wizards and witches in an attempt to give her mind time to process all of the impossible things she had heard over the past hour.

Ginny led her friends down the twisting corridors of the TARDIS after making their escape. The internal layout of the sentient pocket universe made about as much sense as the halls of Hogwarts. The map the Doctor had provided wasn't much help due to it being crudely drawn and obvious disregard for changes in levels.

Hermione caught up with Ginny and took the map out of her friend's hands, turning it 90 degrees to the side as she did so. "I think we passed the hallway we were looking for at that last intersection," she told Ginny, pointing back the way they had come.

"Why do you think that?" Ginny asked, but not in a challenging way. Truth was, she was having a hard time making heads or tails out of the map.

Hermione frowned while she tried to form an answer. "To be honest, I'm not quite sure," she replied. "I just have a really strong feeling that it's back that way. Kind of like the feeling you get when Hogwarts tries to lead you somewhere," she tried to explain.

Ginny looked back at Harry, Ron, Tonks, and Luna. Luna was looking at the curved gold walls, oblivious to everything else, while the others just shrugged.

"Don't look at us. You two are the smart ones. I think this whole place is mental," Ron said.

Ginny thought that Hermione's gut was probably a better guide than the Doctor's map and gestured for Hermione to lead the way. If she really had to chose, Ginny figured a drunk homing pigeon with vertigo would have been easier to follow than the Doctor's map. After several turns that were definitely not on the map, they found themselves facing a huge set of double doors like the ones the Doctor had said led to his wardrobe.

"That's weird," Ron snorted. "Why would someone need doors this big on his closet?" he asked rhetorically. He opened the doors and sucked in his breath. The room beyond was just slightly longer than the Great Hall back at Hogwarts. The room was large enough to play half court Quiditch in. A central walkway led to a large, golden spiral staircase located in the center of the room. Ron first looked up towards the ceiling and then down over the the railing of the walkway. He saw there were at least four floors above them and an equal amount below them. "Never mind," he muttered.

Hermione grinned at the other girls, who returned it with grins of their own as they raced towards the far side to see what treasures they could find. Harry pointed towards a bench near the central staircase and Ron nodded silently. They sat down and made themselves comfortable.

A section that seemed to be devoted to fashions of the late 1800's caught Hermione's eye. A beautiful white dress that looked like it belonged on a Southern debutante caught her eye immediately. Next to it was a three piece suit that made her think of a Riverboat gambler. The jacket and pants were dark gray while the vest was done in a bright red satin paisley. A tan Stetson hat sat on a rack next to the suit. "Look at these!" she squealed. Luna, Tonks, and Ginny rushed over and started making appropriate "oooh" and "aaah" noises.

After pawing through several different time periods of clothing, a small, dark alcove off to the side drew Ginny's attention. Curious, she walked over to see what was stored there. When she arrived, the lights flicked on and her breath caught in her throat. The clothes her father had worn when she was "born" were mounted on a mannequin next to the entryway. The blue pinstriped suit and red trainers looked just as she remembered them. The rest of the small room had nine other mannequins, each one dressed in a very different outfit. She started to smile as a plan popped into her head. "TARDIS, please give me a visual representation of each of my father's traveling companions sorted by which version of him they traveled with," she commanded. Holographic images of all of the people who could claim the title of Companion fanned out behind their respective Doctors. The fact that the room had grown in size to accommodate this feat barely registered to Ginny. Turning quickly, she looked out into the rest of the wardrobe and shouted, "Everyone come here! I have an brilliant idea!"


	22. Chapter 22

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

Hermione, Ginny, and Ace crowded together in the small bathroom adjacent to the girls' bedroom in the Gryffindor dorms. Ace was helping the younger women fix their hair, something she herself didn't have to worry about since her costume had a mask that completely covered her head. She grinned to herself as she realized she hadn't felt this close to another woman since Mel had traveled with her and the Doctor. It helped that she now thought of Ginny as her sister.

Ginny reached up and tucked a stray bit of Hermione's frizzy hair back into the rest of her coif. She looked into the mirror and met the other student's eyes. "There's something we need to talk about, 'Mione," she began.

Hermione turned so she could look at Ginny directly. "What about?" she asked cautiously.

Ginny gave Hermione a half smirk. "Your relationship with my father, of course," she replied. Hermione tensed up, so Ginny put her hand on the other girl's shoulder. "You're my best friend, 'Mione, and I can't think of anyone better for the Doctor," she assured her friend. "What I want to talk to you about is the pace of your relationship," she explained. Hermione frowned while she thought about that. She didn't think the relationship was going too fast at all; if anything, it was maddeningly slow. Ginny read her expression correctly and snickered. "You're thinking about it the wrong way," she laughed.

"I don't understand," Hermione said, clearly confused.

Ginny smiled at Hermione while she leaned against the sink. "Dad and I see Time differently than you do. It's easy for us to forget that," she stated. "If you leave things up to him, it could be a very, very long time before things... progress," she tried to explain.

Ace caught on and started to giggle. "What she's trying to say, Hermione, is that, if you want to snog the Professor, you're going to have to make the first move," she paraphrased.

Hermione blushed and turned so she was facing the mirror again. "What if he doesn't feel the same way about me as I do about him?" she sighed. Ginny and Ace's snorts of laughter made her blush even more. Hermione was too embarrassed to admit she had been thinking along the same lines and had picked up a book from the library entitled "Snaring a Modern Wizard." Of course, it was written in 1814, but the primary concepts should still work, she hoped.

"Hermione, I've known the Professor for many years. Trust me, I've never seen him look at anybody like how he looks at you," Ace told her. She glanced down at the antique, windup clock on the counter. "Time to head to the ball. Remember, we'll be five minutes behind you, so make sure he's where he can see us enter," she reminded Hermione.

Hermione made one final adjustment to her hair and took in a deep breath. "Right, time to go then," she said to her reflection.

Ginny made a fist and held it up in the air. "Gryffindor Charge, 'Mione," she cheered.

The Doctor thought his hearts might have both skipped a beat when Hermione stepped out from behind the Fat Lady's portrait. She was wearing a white ball gown that would have made any Southern belle green with envy. The different layers of her skirt, as well as her white elbow length gloves, were trimmed with red lace. He noticed it was the same red as his satin vest. With a flourish of his Stetson, the Doctor bowed low to Hermione. "I am ever so pleased that you chose me to escort you to the ball this evening, Ma'am," he drawled, trying for a passable Southern US accent. Hermione gave the Doctor an indulgent smile and curtseyed. "You... you truly look beautiful, Hermione," he said softly, using his normal voice.

Hermione blushed once again and took the Doctor's offered hand. "You look rather handsome yourself," she complimented him on his costume. He had agreed to wear the riverboat gambler outfit, and it seemed to fit him perfectly. The dark grey pants and jacket contrasting nicely with the red satin vest. He seemed perfectly comfortable in the old style clothes. A thought occurred to her when she remembered he was a Time traveler. "You've worn that suit before, haven't you?" she inquired.

The Doctor winked at her as he pulled a deck of cards out of the interior pocket of the jacket. He fanned the cards from one hand to the other in a show of true card handling skill. "Perhaps, once or twice," he admitted. "Sam Clemens said I should look the part while we worked together on finding that alien gambler back in 1887," he explained.

His comment made Hermione stop in her tracks. "Sam... as in, Samuel Clemens?" she asked in disbelief. It still came as shock to her when he mentioned being friends with people out of the pages of history.

"Who do you think gave him the idea for 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'?" he responded rhetorically.

They began walking again and soon were at the doors to the Great Hall. Prof. McGonagall had her back turned them when they approached. She was wearing her normal school clothes, and the Doctor was about to comment on her lack of a costume when she turned around. He jumped back, startled by what he saw. The Head of Gryffindor house had used her ability as an Animagus to halt the transformation early on in the change between human and tabby cat. Her face was covered in fur, and her eyes had turned yellow with narrow pupils. "Is everything all right, Doctor?" she inquired sweetly.

"Um, yes... fine, thank you," the Doctor muttered. He led Hermione through the doors and saw Prof. McGonagall turn her back to the stairs, getting ready to startle another couple. He sensed Hermione staring at him. "Bad experience with humanoid felines... don't ask," he told her with a shrug. He looked around the Great Hall and admired the tasteful decorations. The House banners had been replaced with warm orange and browns. Alternating streamers in the same harvest colors ran from the corners of the room to meet in the center. The only things that seemed out of place were the large, clear gems mounted below where each of the streamers connected to the wall. The Doctor assumed it must have been a wizard tradition that he had never heard of.

The raised platform where the staff usually ate had been converted to a stage, and a band was busy setting up. The Doctor recognized the band immediately and ran up to the stage. He made a coughing / hacking noise in the back of his throat loudly. A man who was adjusting a mic stand looked up suddenly and then jumped off the stage to land in front of the Doctor. "Doctor!" he shouted and hugged the old alien. The man turned his head and yelled at the other band members, "Everyone, the Doctor's here!" The rest of the band stopped what they were doing and rushed over.

Hermione wasn't sure what surprised her more - the fact that the Founders of Hogwarts knew the Doctor, or that he was friends with the wizarding world's most famous rock group, the Weird Sisters. She watched as the band members took turns hugging her date.

When the hugs were over, the Doctor took Hermione's hand and had her stand in front of the lead singer. "Hermione, I would like to introduce you to a friend of mine and his band. His name is..." the Doctor said before making the same coughing / hacking noise.

The lead singer turned to face Hermione. "I go by Myron Wagtail these days, Doctor," he laughed. "It's a lot easier for the humans to pronounce," he explained with a wink. Instead of winking normally, he used his third eyelid - a blue nictitating membrane. He turned to face the Doctor again. "With you here, it gives us an excuse to play a song we've been holding onto for a special occasion," he said cryptically. Myron and the rest of the band climbed back onto the stage, huge smiles on their faces.

Hermione started to lead the Doctor back towards the entry doors. "I have to ask, Doctor. How do you know the Weird Sisters, and are they human?" she inquired.

"I found them in the slave planet of Ghyuop 4," the Doctor replied. "They were being forced to play for a being with absolutely no taste in music. I rescued them when I realized they would rather kill themselves before singing any more Sontaran folk songs," he explained. "And no, they're not human. They choose to take that form due to your species' excellent vocal range," he told her.

Movement at the doors caught Hermione's eye. She squeezed the Doctor's hand and whispered in his ear, "Ginny set up a Halloween surprise for you." Before he could ask what it was, Tonks and Remus stepped into the room. The Doctor's jaw dropped in surprise. He collected himself quickly and started grinning.

Tonks had told her boyfriend all about the Doctor, and he had been glad to participate in Ginny's gift. He had put on a crisp white dress shirt with a red tie. Over that he wore a tan cardigan with green stripes and a pattern of repeating, red question marks. He finished off the outfit with a gray suit. For her part, Tonks had put on a pair of black jeans and Ace's old flight jacket with its multiple space agency patches. They spotted Hermione and the Doctor and made their way to stand next to them.

The next couple through the doors was Ron and Luna. Luna was dressed in a light purple airline attendant's outfit from the 70's. Ron was decked out in a tan cricket uniform with red piping along the jacket. The Doctor beamed and pointed at Ron. "Look at me! I'm rude and _ginger_!" he laughed. Ron smirked back in reply and gave the Doctor a rude hand gesture, confirming what the Doctor had said. Hermione waved them over, and Ron and Luna joined the group.

The next person through the door sent the Doctor into one of the biggest fits of laughter he had experienced in the last three hundred years. Ace was dressed up in a giant emperor penguin suit. "Frobisher!" he managed to get out while wiping tears from his eyes.

Ace started to walk towards them but ran into a table instead. She tore off the fake head and reoriented herself and put the head back on. "Can't see a bloody thing with this on," she complained when she joined the Doctor and his friends.

The Doctor hugged his foster daughter and turned to see Harry and Ginny enter. His laughing stopped when he saw what they were dressed in. While they looked very good together, he was not happy with how short the crude leather skirt was on his daughter. The leather top was also a bit tight for his tastes. Ginny had chosen to dress up as "his little savage", Leela. He forced himself to look at Harry so that his long-dormant parenting instincts wouldn't take over and have him say or do something that would embarrass everyone. Harry was wearing a dark brown suit with a loosely tied red tie. The most noticeable thing the young wizard was wearing was a certain twenty-foot-long scarf made of several different colors. Ginny grabbed Harry's hand, and they walked over to the rest of their group. When they reached the others, Ginny kissed the Doctor's cheek and said, "Happy Halloween, Dad."

Outside of the entryway, Prof. Dumbledore joined Prof. McGonagall. He was wearing a simple, floor length dressing gown and a sleeping cap. McGonagall gave his outfit a quick glance before she rolled her eyes. She went back to looking at the group in the middle of the floor. "I'm sure there is some sort of common thread there, but I can't figure it out," she told her friend.

Dumbledore chuckled before responding. "Do you know why people wear costumes at Halloween?" he asked her.

"If I remember correctly, the tradition started as a way of scaring off evil spirits for the celebration of Samhain," McGonagall replied.

Dumbledore nodded, and McGonagall thought she saw a twinkle in the old wizard's eyes when he spoke again. "Correct, and believe me when I tell you that any evil spirit with even a hint of intelligence would take one look at the group over there and run screaming back to the darkness that spawned it," he told her with an odd bit of reverence. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I should introduce the band and get the festivities started," he said with a brief nod of his head.

Prof. Dumbledore made his way to the stage and waited until all eyes were on him. "I would like to welcome you all to Hogwarts' Halloween Ball," he stated loudly. "I hope you all have a wonderful evening and enjoy the music of this band, which obviously needs no introduction," he told the students while gesturing to the Weird Sisters with his good hand. He gracefully stepped off the stage and tried to make himself as unobtrusive as possible.

Myron stepped forward and grabbed the magical mic from the stand. "Who's ready to rock?" he shouted. A sea of cheers was the only reply he got. "All right! Whenever we get to play at Hogwarts, we always like to start things off with an old favorite," he told the crowd. He looked back at his band and counted off before launching into "Let's Do the Hippogriff". After that, they did two more fast songs that had everybody dancing. Several people, including Prof. McGonagall, laughed while they watched the Doctor dance with his usual lack style or grace. He seemed not to notice and kept on enjoying himself on the dance floor.

The music died down, and Myron waited for the Great Hall to quiet down. "Our next song is slow number, so find that special person you want to dance with," he advised. Hermione took the Doctor's hand possessively. "Before we sing the next number, I want to dedicate it to a very old friend of ours. If it hadn't been for him, Weird Sisters would never have been formed," he said, the gratitude evident in his voice. "This one's for you, Doctor," he stated and pointed down into the crowd. The Doctor's coolness level rose sharply for those who were fans of Weird Sisters. It almost returned to the level it had been at before they had seen him dance.

Myron nodded to the band and he began to sing.

**Travelling man  
>Such secrets to be told<br>Alien man  
>Running from the days of old<strong>

Out of his world  
>With nothing left to lose<br>Travelling man  
>Coming down to rescue you<p>

You're hard to find  
>Time lord<br>Too busy saving everything to stop

Hermione listened to the words of the song as she put her arms around the Doctor's neck. He put his hands on her waist, and they danced slowly to the music. He looked into her eyes and gave her a shy smile.

**The travelling man will save the day  
>The travelling man will keep you safe<br>Even if he has to die  
>Five hundred and seven times<br>The travelling man will save the day**

Waiting so long  
>For something to retrieve<br>Gallifrey man  
>Of his tragic history<p>

Such a sharp mind  
>But broken are his hearts<br>Engines in gear  
>Time to put things in the past<p>

Ginny was dancing as close to Harry as she possibly could. Harry was hesitant at first and kept glancing over at the Doctor to make sure he wasn't upset at how close they were. He relaxed significantly when he saw the Doctor was focused entirely on Hermione. Taking advantage of the situation, Harry leaned in for a quick snog.

**There comes a time... Time Lord  
>When every boy must learn how to dance<strong>

Hermione moved closer to the Doctor and rested her head on his chest. This caused him to adjust his hands and left him holding her, his hands on the small of her back.

**The travelling man will save the day  
>The travelling man will keep you safe<br>Even if he has to die  
>Five hundred and seven times<br>The travelling man will save the day**

Everybody knows that everybody dies  
>But nobody knows it like him<br>And I think all the lights  
>Would burn out of the skies<br>If he ever gave up trying

Just this once  
>Everybody lives.<p>

The travelling man will save the day  
>The travelling man will keep you safe<br>Even if he has to die  
>Five hundred and seven times<br>The travelling man will save the day

The song ended with a flash of blue light from Myron's eyes, causing those who weren't Time travelers to forget the lyrics to the song. Hermione didn't notice the flash – or anything else, for that matter. The only thing she could think of was the Doctor. She decided to take Ginny and Ace's advice and led the Doctor out the back door of the Great hall that led to a balcony that looked over the lake below. For a few moments, neither of them said anything. They just enjoyed the cool breeze and the feeling of holding each other's hand. Hermione looked over the balcony and at the reflected moonlight that bounced back at them. "Are you having a good time, Sweetie?" she asked softly.

The Doctor froze for a moment and then he let go of Hermione's hand. He took a step back from her and stared, shock written all over his face. "What... what did you just call me?" he stuttered.

Hermione frowned and cursed the book she had read. It had suggested using a term of endearment as a way to help snare a boyfriend. _Should have known not to use a book written over a century ago,_she mentally scolded herself. "I called you 'sweetie'," she answered. "I'm sorry, Doctor. I read this book on relationships, and it suggested using a pet name," she explained. "I didn't mean to anger you," she pleaded. This was definitely not turning out how she had hoped it would.

"You didn't anger me, it's just..." the Doctor started to say. Hermione had stepped to the side in nervous energy, and the moonlight caught her frizzy hair just right. In the near dark, he finally recognized her profile. "No, no, no! It can't be. I mean that's impossible. How...?" he stammered. "What in the name of the Vortex are you doing here?" he demanded.

"I go to school here, remember?" Hermione replied. She was beginning to worry that her attempt to snare him had left him unhinged.

He reached into his pocket quickly and drew out his sonic screwdriver. Switching it on, he waved it in Hermione's direction, causing her to take a cautionary step backwards. The Doctor flicked his wrist and the end of the screwdriver extended, letting him take a better look at the readings. The DNA scanner showed that Hermione was mostly human with just a touch of Time Lord DNA. There was only one person in the Universe who had that particular combination. "It _is_you!" he muttered breathlessly. "At least I think it's you," he added. The Doctor had to make sure Hermione was really the person he was thought she was. There was only one sure test that he could think of off the top of his head.

At its best, Gallifrey could be described as a dangerous place to live. At its worst, it had been called a hellish death trap. Many poisonous plants had taken it upon themselves to mimic their non-poisonous counterparts perfectly. They both looked and smelled so much like the non-deadly variant that animal life on the planet had had to develop a way to keep from keeling over at an alarming rate. The answer had been in their sense of taste. A slight difference in alkalinity levels was sometimes the only difference between death and a rather tasty treat. The race that would one day become the Time Lords was no exception. The Doctor had used his heightened sense of taste for a wide variety of things like determining the chemical makeup of a lacquer applied to wood paneling to telling how old a shed was based on the oxidation of the paint. He decided to put that "super" sense to use once again.

The Doctor took Hermione by the shoulders and pulled her to him. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. When he parted his lips, Hermione did the same. She welcomed his tongue into her mouth and savored the sensations it created in her. After a moment that seemed way too short, the Doctor broke off the kiss, smiling like a fool. She tasted just the same as she did when she had kissed him for the first time from his perspective at the Stormcage Containment Facility.

Hermione was dazed from her first real kiss with the Doctor. It was more than she had dreamt of, yet she felt like it could be even better. _Practice makes perfect,_she thought happily. Her happy daze ended when she caught movement on a balcony two floors above them. "Doctor! Someone's watching us!" she whispered urgently. The Doctor turned around and looked up. If anything, his smile got even bigger. He recognized the woman wearing the white coat with frizzy hair immediately. The woman blew a kiss to the Doctor. "Do you know her?" Hermione asked him, never taking her eyes off of the strange, but oddly familiar, woman.

"Oh, yes," the Doctor replied. "She's the one woman to whom I've given both my hearts to completely," he told her. "Although, to be truthful, I hadn't realized that I loved her until just now," he added. He felt Hermione tense up next to him. "Now be polite and wave to yourself," he suggested.

"Wait... what?" Hermione stammered.

The Doctor pointed to the woman on the balcony. "That's you from the future. You've been using a different name so you wouldn't ruin the surprise of our first meeting," he tried to explain.

"Let me get this straight," Hermione stated. "That woman up there is a future version of me?" she inquired. The Doctor only nodded. Hermione thought about this for a moment before her brain finally processed a bit of information that had been waving its hand, trying to get her conscious mind's attention. "Did you just say that you loved me?" she pressed.

The Doctor gave her a shy, boyish grin. "I suppose I did, didn't I?" he replied. Hermione grabbed him and pulled him in for another electrifying kiss. The Doctor didn't resist like he had at Stormcage. He was starting to rather enjoy these kisses immensely.

**********DrW**********

River Song turned away from watching her love snogging a younger version of herself with a contented sigh. She walked through the door she had just unlocked and made her way towards the Room of Requirement. She was startled when Prof. Dumbledore stepped out from an alcove. "Hello,_Hermione_, what brings you back to our hallowed halls?" he inquired politely.

River knew she shouldn't have been surprised by her old Headmaster recognizing her, but it still came as a bit of a shock. "Feeling nostalgic, I suppose," she replied.

Prof. Dumbledore rubbed his dead hand with his good one. "Yes, I suppose we all get that way from time to time," he assured her. He noticed her looking at his hand sadly. "I know that  
>I'm dying, so you don't have to worry about letting that 'spoiler' out of the bag," he chuckled. She was about to say something, but he held up his good hand. "Shush, Hermione. We both know there isn't time for that," he told her. "Before you go, I want to ask a favor of you," he said softly.<p>

"You know I will, Prof. Dumbledore," River replied. Even though she knew he hadn't been as pure as she had thought when she first started Hogwarts, he was still a man she owed much to. "What it is that you want me to do?" she inquired.

"You will know what to do when the _Time_comes," Dumbledore responded. "I can give you a hint," he offered. He leaned over and whispered something in her ear.

River rocked back as if she had been slapped. "You bastard!" she swore.

"Perhaps," Dumbledore replied before turning and walking away.

**********DrW**********

Author's note: The song used in this chapter is called "Traveling Man". It is from Chameleon Circuit's second album – "Still Got Legs". It was written by Alex Day.


	23. Chapter 23

**Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire**

Lucius Malfoy trailed behind his master, Lord Voldemort, as they made their way to the formal dining hall of the Malfoy family home. He felt honored that the Dark Lord had chosen his house as a base of operations for the Death Eaters, even if it did mean always keeping on one's toes so as not to irritate him. Lucius was horror stricken when they reached the large ebony doors of the dining room. He saw there was a small layer of dust on the ornate carvings lining the doors. It was just one more reason to hate the Potter brat for stealing his house elf away from him. He wanted everything to be perfect during his master's stay.

Voldemort was able to sense his servant's unease. Ever since he had been a little a boy, he had the ability to notice small things that everybody else failed to see - the slight twinge of a cheek muscle as someone was lying, the way a person's pupils dilated when scared, or the shade that had appeared to him when he was in the orphanage. He paused briefly as he wondered what had brought up that particular memory. To distract himself, Voldemort ran his finger along one rather interesting carving depicting the original enslavement of the House Elves. He held his up his pale finger and grimaced at the dust. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Lucius turned several shades of red. Personally, Voldemort didn't care one way or the other about the dust; he just liked watching those who served him squirm.

Lucius was about to apologize for the dust, but Voldemort held up a hand for him to remain silent. With the same hand, he made a small gesture and the doors flew open. Lucius was unable to hide his shock when he saw that his rather large dining room had been magically altered to make it even more spacious. It took him a moment to realize the room had been changed to that it now matched the dimensions of the Great Hall at Hogwarts perfectly. Eventually he noticed that several other Death Eaters were already in the room. The elder Crabbe and Goyle stood next to a table filled with food, looking ever so much like their equally dimwitted sons. Wormtail cowered in the far corner, taking long sips from a vintage fire whiskey bottle he had swiped from Lucius' well stocked wine cellar. Bellatrix Lestrange, his mentally unhinged sister-in-law, was leaning against one wall, calmly cleaning under her fingernails with a dagger. Lucius knew that dagger had been used earlier that day to cut off a man's tongue after he had dared to question their lord. The rest of the assembled Death Eaters were of no consequence and were viewed as cannon fodder by the inner circle.

Lucius stepped closer to Voldemort. "My Lord, I still don't understand what we are doing here tonight," he whispered subserviently.

Voldemort sighed and rubbed the spot directly between his eyes, where the bridge of his nose would have been if he had one, as if he were starting to get a headache. "That doesn't surprise me, Lucius, seeing as that you've never given me reason to think you were bright enough to comprehend the full extent of my plans," he said softly. Turning ever so slightly so that Lucius could see the disdain in his eyes, Voldemort went on. "If we wish to succeed in our endeavors easily, we must get to know our enemy," he explained slowly. "We have observed the_boy_and those who help him during what could be considered 'bad' times for them. To truly know them, we must observe them in their 'good' times as well," he told him.

Bellatrix sheathed her dagger and sauntered over to them. "Besides, we might get to watch some poor student get their heart stomped on by their date," she said hopefully. "A school dance is always good for that sort of misery," she sighed longingly.

Voldemort smiled at his greatest creation. He had broken both her mind and soul and then put them back together just as he wanted them. Bellatrix belonged to him completely. "Yes my dear, you are quite correct," he told her. "Those of you here with me tonight should keep your eyes out for anything like that. We can use that hurt and pain to our advantage in recruiting new members from within the school. Hell hath no fury - etc., etc.," he instructed with a dismissive wave of his hand. As if on cue, the gems in the corners began to glow with a pale red light. "Ah... let the ball commence," he said while snapping his long, thin fingers.

The interior of the Malfoy's dining room shifted and blurred until it looked like they were standing in the warmly lit Great Hall of Hogwarts. Brown and orange banners hung from the ceiling. Ghostly images of those in the real hall walked around, completely oblivious that they were being watched. Crabbe gibbered in fear as a student walked through him.

Voldemort turned around slowly and smiled at the level of depth Snape's transfer gems provided. "When the boy and his friends arrive, I will assign each of you to one of them. Make sure you stay with them the entire time during the ball," he instructed his followers. "Lucius, I want you to follow the Weasley boy and report back to me all of social blunders. I'm sure he will do something we can use against him later," he stated. Pointing at Bellatrix he said, "I want you to follow the Mudblood. From what I've heard, she has a tendency to get her heart broken at these affairs much like you described earlier." Bellatrix nodded and smiled; the naughty, voyeuristic aspect of what they were doing appealing to her. "As for the boy himself, I will study him," Voldemort proclaimed. He made brief eye contact with Wormtail. "Keep an eye on Dumbledore and try not to piss yourself every time he glances in your direction. We're not really there, so he can't see you," he said acidly. "The rest of you, mingle and keep your eyes open," he ordered.

Bellatrix's distinctive laugh caught Voldemort's attention. "The little Mudblood is here with a man much, much older than her," she exclaimed happily. "I don't see how that could possibly end well," she told no one in particular. She skipped over to the image of Hermione and danced around her, making faces. Voldemort ignored her and stepped closer to the Great Hall's doors so he could see when Potter arrived. He was no longer in earshot of the Mudblood, but he trusted his second in command to observe everything, even if she was busy taunting an illusion.

The doors opened and Voldemort stiffened. He had no idea why the sight of the mangy werewolf in a gray suit with a silly sweater on under it angered him so much. The Auror Tonks' outfit equally appalled him. The flight jacket with its many patches boasting of the Muggles' exploits off this ball of dirt made him want to step over and slap her face. He was concerned that he was experiencing what he thought were irrational feelings. Neither Lupin nor Tonks posed any really threat to him, so all he should have been feeling was contempt. The two images that disturbed him so much walked through him to join the Mudblood and her new suitor while he tried to pin down why he was feeling that way.

The next couple that walked through the door was Ron Weasley and Luna Lovegood. Once again, Voldemort felt emotions that seemed to be totally out of place. The sight of how the Weasley boy and his date were dressed made the corners of his mouth tilt upwards, the closest thing to a smile the Dark Lord had experienced all week. Voldemort quickly regained control when Lucius stepped up next to him, ready to start watching the redheaded fool.

"What on Earth is that idiot wearing?" Lucius asked scornfully.

Voldemort glared at Lucius, causing the other man to step back involuntarily. "It's a cricket uniform," he stated coldly. "I use to be quite good at the game in my youth," he told Lucius. _Now where did that come from?_Voldemort wondered. He had never played a single game of any team sport growing up, let alone a Muggle one.

"Forgive me, my Lord," Lucius groveled and then hurried away to follow Ron.

Voldemort turned around suddenly when the image of the Mudblood's date called out, "Look at me! I'm rude and_ginger_!" The notion that the cricket uniform belonged to the man made Voldemort very curious. He stepped down into the "Great Hall" and walked closer to the man as the images of Ron and Luna passed through him on their way to the same location. Voldemort saw movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to stare at a singularly odd sight in the door way. A person dressed up as a large penguin stood framed by the open doors. The Mudblood's date exclaimed, "Frobisher!" Again, a slight smile played across the Dark Lord's lips.

When the woman dressed as the penguin took off her fake head, Voldemort's smile evaporated. He was saved from having to examine his now angry mood by Bellatrix stomping her foot in anger. "That's not fair! I killed that bitch!" she pouted.

"That's not like you, Bellatrix," Lucius teased. "You're usually much more thorough with those types of things," he joked.

"Who is this woman?" Voldemort demanded.

Bellatrix left Hermione's side and stalked towards the woman in the penguin suit. "She is, or rather was, my cousin's fiancé," she explained. Her expression became thoughtful as she made eye contact with Wormtail. His face was pale and his hands were shaking more than usual. "I wonder if she knows it was you, rather than the blood-traitor, who delivered the Potters to our Lord?" she cackled. Voldemort turned to look at his most "loyal" servant. Bellatrix's question caused Wormtail to shake so bad, he dropped the fire whiskey, shattering it on the floor.

"My Lord, the boy is here," Wormtail stammered, glad to have the subject changed. He pointed a dirty finger at the doorway.

Voldemort slowly turned around. When he caught sight of Harry's costume, he became enraged. "How dare he wear that scarf?" he yelled. Harry was dressed in a brown suit with a very long scarf draped over him. Voldemort was beyond wondering why he considered that scarf his favorite when the only scarf he had ever owned was the green one that came with his Slytherin uniform. All that he could think of was his mortal enemy wearing _the scarf_.

The Death Eaters formed a loose circle around Harry and his friends in the center of the dance floor. They watched in interest as the Weasley girl approached the Mudblood's date, kissed his cheek, and said, "Happy Halloween, Dad."

Lucius laughed so hard, he had to put his hands on his knees to balance himself. "This is brilliant!" he exclaimed. "Arthur's wife must have got tired off dropping out boys and cuckolded the bastard," he stated, completely ignoring the possibility the Weasleys had adopted the redheaded girl.

"Now do you see why I had Snape set up this private viewing for us?" Voldemort inquired sarcastically.

Wiping a tear of laughter from his eye, Lucius nodded. "Yes, my Lord. As always, your wisdom and foresight are far beyond anything we possess," he replied.

Voldemort looked around the circle at his followers as the students and the strange man drifted apart to have room to dance. "The night is young. Keep vigilant," he advised. The Death Eaters muttered their acknowledgements and focused in on their appointed quarry. The lights dimmed and the band began to play. An overwhelming sense of something forgotten just out of reach filled Voldemort. He felt jarred every time he caught sight of Harry and his friends, as if he expected to see someone else in the clothes they had chosen for the ball.

The band played three fast songs and then the lights came up on the stage. Voldemort was only half listening to the singer go on about owing someone for getting their band together. He thought they were speaking about Dumbledore, so he was taken by surprise when the singer pointed down at the Mudblood's date. "This one's for you, Doctor," the singer said.

The last word in that sentence caused the final tumbler to be thrown on the lock that had held back so many memories. Voldemort stared off into space as a flood from his past lives washed over him. He remembered that at one time he was two people, a small boy and a wraith that had escaped from the emptiness of the Void. He remembered the hell of existing without form outside the real universe. Not being would have been preferable to what he had become after the destruction of the Dark Matrix, the energy bolt that had struck him trapping his essence in the void between dimensions as his already discorporated essence was taken from the stolen body of the Keeper. The Valeyard's outraged TARDIS trapped him in the Void in its last act of defiance, protecting his younger self.

Unfortunately for the ship, it had failed to take into account that as long as the Doctor lived, the Valeyard existed in a potential state, even if the precise events that lead to his existence no longer applied. Since time had no meaning in the Void, Voldemort had no idea how long he had been there before the crack appeared. He had been drawn to the jagged crack and was able to see reality on the other side. From the Void side of the crack, the wraith that had been the Valeyard could see all of Time and Space, just like when he had looked into the Untempered Schism when he was a child. He forced his way through the crack and found himself weakened, barely able to hold his existence together. A host was needed if he wanted to continue in this reality. While a Time Lord would have been preferable, he wasn't able to sense any. He decided to settle for second best and made his way to Earth. Once he arrived, the wraith went around the globe, searching for the most suitable candidate. He was pleasantly surprised when he came across a young boy by the name of Thomas Riddle, living in a London orphanage. The boy possessed immense power and had a thirst for power equal to his own. He appeared to the boy and then slid into the other's body, trying to take over. Unfortunately, he was too weak and the minds and spirits fused instead, forming a new person. His memories of being the Doctor and a Time Lord were hidden, only surfacing through his subconscious. He now understood why he had chosen the name Lord Voldemort, the low Gallifreyan word for Valeyard.

Voldemort closed his eyes, held out his arms, and welcomed all of the Valeyard's memories. He was finally complete. When he opened his eyes, he saw the Mudblood lead the Doctor out of the room. A true smile lit up Voldemort's face as a new plan sprang to life, fully formed, into his mind. "Welcome to my world, Doctor," he whispered to the image of his other self. He silently cursed there not being any transfer gems on the outside of the castle. He sighed and turned to watch the rest of students, who were dancing to another fast song. His eyes locked onto Ginny, the implication of what she had said earlier fully clicking in his mind. "I have a daughter," he said breathlessly. "And she's dating the _boy_!" he spat.

Voldemort watched Ginny and Harry dance, their bodies far too close for his liking. He smirked when he caught sight Lucius' boy, Draco, making his way over towards Ginny. Voldemort trailed after him, curious to see what would happen.

Draco stopped just out of striking range of Potter or his girlfriend. "Well Potter, I see your filthy girlfriend has decided to dress like the cheap whore she is," he said acidly. Voldemort watched Harry go very still. He noticed Ginny place a hand over his for just a brief instant. The irritating woman, Prof. McGonagall, started to rush forward, but she was stopped by Dumbledore placing a restraining hand on her elbow. Ginny turned her back on Harry and took a couple of steps towards Malfoy, swaying her hips seductively. She stopped when she stood directly in front of Draco.

"Harry never talks to me that way," Ginny told Draco, her voice low and sexy. "I've always wanted a man to talk to me that way," she purred. Draco smirked at Harry, his face full of smug satisfaction. Ginny put her hands on Draco's shoulders, drawing the blond boy's attention back to her. "It gives me an excuse to do this," she whispered and leaned towards him, as if she were going to kiss him. Draco leaned forward as well, but the kiss never came. Instead, Ginny used all of the martial skills she had been programmed with at birth and drove her knee into his groin. Draco fell to the ground, his hands clasped around his injury, tears streaming down his face.

Prof. McGonagall shook off Dumbledore's hand and strode to face Ginny. "50 points from Gryffindor for violation of the school's no fighting policy!" she said sternly. Ginny only nodded in reply, the look in her eyes anything but contrite. McGonagall motioned for the younger Crabbe and Goyle to come over. "Take Mister Malfoy to the hospital wing," she ordered. "Lucky for him that ever since the invention of Quiditch, several potions have been developed for repairing ruptured testicles," she told them. Once the Slytherin boys carried Draco out of earshot, McGonagall leaned over to Ginny and whispered, "55 points will be awarded to Gryffindor for you being able to strike what I assume to be a very small target." She winked at Ginny and then went back to strand next to Dumbledore.

"How dare she!" Lucius fumed. "I'll have her sacked for taking sides with that… that… that lower class tramp!" he promised. "I'll…" he started to say before he was thrown into the far wall by a magical gesture from Voldemort.

Voldemort stared at Lucius, pointed his hand, and muttered, "_**CRUCIO**_." Green energy ran from Voldemort's hand to strike Lucius square in the chest. The elder Malfoy writhed in pain as the energy danced through his body. "Ginerva is off limits," Voldemort said softly. He looked around at the other Death Eaters. "If any of you so much as speak ill of her, let alone harm her, I will make sure that person will live for a very, very long time," he warned. The fact that he had continued feeding energy into the Cruciatus curse that was tormenting Lucius, drove home the notion that the long life he spoke off would be filled with unimaginable pain and misery. Voldemort let his hand drop and dismissed the curse. Lucius lay on the ground, his tears mimicking his son's.

********DrW********

Author's Note: Thanks to MarcusSLazarus for all of his wonderful help and knowledge regarding the Valeyard. I bow to his awesome Whovian mastery.


	24. Chapter 24

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

Hermione hugged her friends as they all filed out of the castle on their way back to their homes for the Christmas holiday. Harry was in a chipper mood since the Weasleys had gotten permission from Dumbledore for him to spend the break with them. With a final hug and wave, Hermione headed off in the opposite direction the rest of the students were headed. She didn't need to take the train back to London. This holiday, she was returning to visit her parents in a much more exclusive form of travel.

Hermione rounded the short stone wall that led to the Forbidden Forest and saw the Doctor pacing nervously in front of the TARDIS. He had worn a short path in the snow that had fallen the night before. Hermione paused for a moment to watch him. She was slightly amused when she realized she was having a hard time accepting the fact that this amazing man was now her boyfriend. It had been easier to accept that he was an alien than to believe she was worth being loved by him. He could have any woman throughout history and he chose her. The Doctor saw her and gave her a short wave before returning to his pacing. She waved back and hurried to join him, happy as only people newly in love could be.

"Ready to go?" Hermione asked once she was standing next to the Doctor. She watched him take in a deep breath, like he was trying to calm his nerves. "What's wrong, Doctor?" she inquired.

The Doctor unconsciously took Hermione's hand, much to her pleasure. "You would think that after 900 years, I wouldn't get so nervous about meeting someone's parents," he laughed. "Must have something to do with how many times I get hit in the face by mothers," he joked.

"They'll love you, because I love you," Hermione reassured the Doctor. _At least I hope they will,_ she silently added.

The Doctor noticed her hesitation at the end. "What exactly have you told them about me?" he asked her.

Hermione bit her lip before answering. "Um…I told them I had started dating an older man," she said hesitantly. "Oddly enough, Dad had an easier time with that than Mother did," she admitted. "I thought we could spring the whole Time traveling alien thing on them after they get to know you," she suggested. The Doctor gave her a disapproving look. "Doctor, my parents are dentists. I think their world view was stretched pretty far when they learned their daughter was a witch. Telling them right away I was dating a man from another planet might just push them over the edge," she tried to explain.

The Doctor shook off his misgivings and opened the door of the TARDIS for her. "All right, let's go meet your parents," he said bravely. He hadn't yet figured out a good way to explain that the people they were going to meet were actually her adopted parents, since they had never bothered to tell her themselves. He promised himself that he would take her to meet the Ponds right after their visit with the Grangers.

**********DrW**********

**Granger House, Chelsea**

A small wind picked up in the trees lining a park that sat across from a neat set of townhomes. The sudden breeze disturbed a small bird sitting in one of the low hanging branches. The bird flew off in a snit as the wind picked up and a strange noise rose and fell next to the playground. When the TARDIS finished materializing, the doors opened cautiously and the Doctor poked his head out. Hermione's head appeared around the doorframe a little bellow his. "Not bad, Doctor," she praised. "My home is right across the street," she informed him. The Doctor's head disappeared and Hermione rolled her eyes. She grabbed hold of his tweed jacket and pulled him out of the TARDIS. "Honestly, Doctor," she complained. They paused long enough for him to the lock the TARDIS doors and then made their way to Hermione's childhood home.

When they reached the front door, Hermione took the Doctor's hand in hers and gave it a quick squeeze. He squeezed back and then lifted his hand to knock on the door. The door opened before his hand even touched the brass knocker, startling him. "You mister… are late!" Hermione's mom scolded, opening the door.

Hermione was beyond embarrassment. She knew her mother always had her own way of doing things, but she never thought she would yell at her boyfriend before they even got around to the introductions. Hermione looked over her mother's shoulder and saw her father doing his best to look stern. Hermione let out a deep sigh and decided to try and smooth things over. "Doctor… I would like to introduce you to my parents…" she started to say.

The Doctor interrupted her, his voice going high with excitement. "AMY! RORY!" he exclaimed. He suddenly looked very confused. "How…? When…? No wait, let's go back to how," he babbled. He drank in the sight of his best friends standing in front of him. Amy's long red hair still fell well below her shoulders. She looked as if she had aged only a few years from when he last saw her. Rory looked exactly the same, making the Doctor wonder if something more of the Last Centurion had stayed in this Universe alongside the 2000 years worth of memories.

Amy looked over her shoulder at her husband. "I told you we would finally manage to surprise him," she said smugly. "_You_ owe me a month of doing the dishes," she taunted Rory. Amy looked back at the Doctor and her daughter. "Get in here before Hermione gets cold. I know you don't feel it, but she does," she reminded him.

Hermione blinked several times before following her mother and the Doctor inside. Once they were in the foyer, she tried to wrap her mind around the idea that her parents already knew the Doctor. She couldn't imagine a pair of dentists managing to deal with everything being a Companion entailed. The friendship between the Doctor and her parents was confirmed when the Doctor looked at her father, a mock serious expression on his face. "Permission to hug?" the Doctor requested while performing a a loose salute.

Rory bobbed his head from side to side as he pretended to think it over. "Permission granted, but make it fast," he eventually replied, completing their old, friendly ritual. The Doctor threw his arms around Amy, gave her a huge hug, and then moved on to Rory, giving him a big hug as well.

Hermione stepped off into the sitting room so she could have a better view of what was happening. She watched as the Doctor started to pace manically in the entry hall, running his hand through his hair.

"So many question, where to begin?" the Doctor pondered aloud. "I know, I'll start with the biggest, most confusing one," he decided. "Dentists? Seriously?" he stammered as he looked back and forth from Amy to Rory, his expression one of complete disbelief.

Rory looked a bit uncomfortable and ran his finger around the inside of his collar. "Yes… well, you see… um, we aren't really dentists," he admitted, glancing at Hermione, looking to see how she would react to the knowledge they had been lying to her for her entire life. "We're actually field operatives for UNIT," he explained. "All those 'emergency calls' to replace a knocked out tooth after a pub brawl were actually calls to investigate alien sightings," he told Hermione.

Hermione flopped into one of the oversized chairs across from the couch. "Oh thank god! That's a relief!" she blurted out before she could stop herself. "I was really beginning to worry," she said to no one in particular. Hermione became a bit self-conscious when she realized everyone was looking at her. "No offense, Dad, but I could buy you being a dentist. Mother… not so much so," she tried to explain. "I really started to worry when I was looking through her closet last year trying to find a blouse to borrow. I came across that box of 'costumes'," she told Rory. "After seeing the Roman outfit and the sexy police woman costume (and with Mother being gone at least one weekend night a week) I began to worry that she might actually have been a stripper," she admitted sheepishly.

Amy heard the Doctor and Rory snickering behind her. She turned around and glared at them. "Shut it you two!" she commanded. Both men suppressed their laughs like they had been cut off with a knife. Amy returned her gaze to her daughter. "For your information young lady, the Roman clothes belongs to your father and I keep the police woman outfit around because it was what I was wearing when I met your boyfriend after I grew up," she told her.

The Doctor saw Hermione's expression sour when her mother told her she had met him dressed as a stripper. He decided it would be much safer for everyone if he changed the subject. "Getting back to _my_ questions, let's go over 'how' this happened," he suggested.

"After you left us at Demon's Run, River took us back to Earth," Rory told the Doctor. "We were upset at first that she had brought us to 1980," he went on. "That was until of course you and Hermione showed up," he amended.

"Huh?" was all Hermione was able to say. Even her great mind had its limits.

Amy snapped her fingers and ran upstairs to her bedroom. After a moment, she returned holding a piece of paper. "You told me to give this to you when the time was right," she told the Doctor. She handed it over to the Doctor who immediately recognized his own handwriting. The only thing written on the paper was two sets of spatial / temporal coordinates. He smiled after memorizing the numbers.

"Right, I'll get the rest of my answers 16 years ago," the Doctor said smugly. He walked over and pulled Hermione out of her chair. "Come along, Hermione, time to go rescue yourself and bring you back to your parents," he told her.

As the Doctor and Hermione made their way back to the TARDIS, Rory called out, his fatherly instincts taking charge. Even though he knew she had been destined to fall in love with the Doctor, Rory still had a hard time with his teenage daughter dating, let alone entering into a lifelong, committed relationship. "Don't stay out too late," he yelled, again trying to look stern. Rory sighed and looked at Amy, shaking his head. "Who am I kidding?" he muttered. "Have her back sometime this decade!" he yelled to his future son-in-law.

**********DrW**********

**New York City, New York, United States of America, 1969**

The homeless man ran through the alley as if the devil were behind him. He had never seen anything quite like what had happened to the little girl. She had told him that she was dying, but reassured him it was ok. She had told him she knew how to fix that. Before his eyes, the little girl had transformed into a brilliant stream of energy only to come out of it looking like a different girl all together. As he ran, a small part of mind kept wondering about the legend of the phoenix he had read about in the book he borrowed from the library. The man was so preoccupied, he didn't notice the big, blue box materializing off to one side.

Melody Pond ran her tongue over her new teeth. "New teeth, that's weird," she commented. She pulled a bit of her bushy, auburn hair in front of her eyes. "At least it's _sort_ of curly," she told herself, not quite sure if she liked it or not. Her head snapped up when she heard the noise Madam Kovarian had taught her to identify anywhere. She glanced around for a weapon and picked up a metal pipe that was leaning against a nearby trash can. Melody shifted to the side slightly so her body would conceal her improvised weapon until she was ready to use it. She watched as the doors to the TARDIS opened and the worst villain in the Universe stepped out.

The Doctor looked around the dingy alley and spotted a girl who looked like what he imagined Hermione would have when she was ten. He waved happily at her. "Hello, Melody," he said cheerfully.

"Doctor, thank goodness you're here," Melody replied. "Ughhh!" she moaned and bent forward slightly, faking stomach cramps. Like she had been told he would do, the Doctor rushed to her to help. Why the worst mass murderer in history would care for one single girl was beyond Melody, but she wasn't above using it to her advantage.

When the Doctor reached Melody, he put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you all right?" he inquired softly. Melody pivoted on the ball of her foot and brought the metal pipe down hard on his head. The Doctor was knocked to the ground, stunned.

Melody raised the pipe above her head, ready to land a death blow to the alien's head. She started to swing the pipe, but froze in mid swing when she heard a voice far too similar to hers yell, "_**PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!**_" Frozen in place, Melody was able to see out of the corner of her eye as an older girl with the same hair as hers run down the alley towards her and the Doctor.

"Thank you for the save, but whatever you do, DO NOT touch your younger self," the Doctor admonished. "Time Lords are resistant to the Blinovitch Limitation Effect, the energy discharge caused by touching a younger version of yourself," he explained. "I don't know if the BLE applies to you or not, but to be on the safe side, no touching," he advised. "If you do, very bad things might happen as well as introducing a major paradox," he warned. "Right now, I'm in no shape to deal with the pack of Reapers that would show up to sterilize the wound in Time," he admitted. He looked up at the younger version of his girlfriend and made a decision. "Can she hear me?" he asked Hermione.

"Yes, but in order for her to respond, I have to remove the spell," Hermione replied.

The Doctor scooted backwards until his back was against the brick wall. Using the wall for support, he managed to stand once again, his head throbbing. He estimated the young girl's arm reach and slid along the wall until he was just out of range. "Melody, I'm going to have your older self remove the spell binding you," he advised the girl. "And yes, I did say spell," he chuckled. "It would seem that there is a lot more to you than Madam Kovarian ever dreamed," he said proudly. "Just so you know, if you try to bash my skull in again, the other you will just bind you again and we'll be back to where we started," he told her. The Doctor nodded to Hermione, and the young witch performed the proper wrist flicks to reverse the spell.

As soon as the spell dissolved, Melody's arm swung through the motion she had started. The pipe made a swishing sound as it sailed through empty air. She turned slightly and faced the Doctor, but kept her hand with the pipe at her side. "Stalemate, Doctor?" she inquired. "I know you won't hurt me for some reason, and you brought someone along to keep me from hurting you," she explained.

"Of course I would never hurt you," the Doctor replied, clearly disturbed by the notion. "I love you," he said and jerked his head towards Hermione. "Not to mention you're the child of two of my best friends," he added.

Melody clenched her jaw in anger. Part of her wondered if the other girl was fast enough to stop her from clawing the bastard's eyes out for mentioning her parents. She decided against it, and settled for a verbal attack instead. "How dare you speak of my parents, you monster!" she spat. "You killed them at Demon's Run and would have done the same to me if my foster mother hadn't saved me!" she yelled. She glared at the young woman who the Doctor claimed was her older self. "How can you even stand to be near him?" she demanded.

"What on Earth are you talking about?" Hermione replied. "Mother and Dad are fine, they raised me," she informed her younger self. In a stroke of inspiration, Hermione dug out a photo from her pocket that she had magically made bigger on the inside. She placed the color photo of her and her parents on a trash can near Melody and then backed away to give the other girl room. The photo had been taken the day before her first day at Hogwarts.

Melody picked up the photo and looked at it suspiciously. She couldn't see any traces that the photo had been faked. Confusion ran through her. Madam Kovarian had said to expect the Doctor to lie and say anything to sway her, but she never said anything about running into herself from the future. She looked into Hermione's eyes and saw only hope with no trace of hostility. "Can you promise me this is real?" she begged, desperately wanting it to be true.

Madam Kovarian had made a mistake while training her perfect weapon. She had used the Ponds as a tool to create hatred in Melody, but in doing so, she had created a deep longing to meet them in person. Hermione recognized the look in Melody's eyes. It was the same one Harry got whenever he thought about his parents. "They're alive and they love me... um, us... very much," she assured her.

A slight psychic push from the TARDIS helped the Doctor come up with a plan. "Trust us and I can give you back the years Kovarian stole from you and your parents," he promised. He didn't need to be in the TARDIS to know that the sentimental old thing was moving the Chameleon Arch into the control room as he spoke. Hermione spared a glance at the Doctor. He met her eyes and smiled. "You were conceived inside the TARDIS," he explained to her. "This caused your DNA to be altered, making you part Time Lord," he told her quickly. "Ten human years equals..." he said, letting his voice trail off.

"One Time Lord year!" Hermione blurted out, finishing his sentence. She smiled at her younger self who was looking a little dubious. "Don't worry. His daughter - who ends up being one of my best friends, by the way- did it, and she turned out fine," she said, trying to reassure the younger girl.

Melody looked from Hermione to the Doctor and back again, trying to make up her mind. She so desperately wanted to believe her parents were still alive that it physically hurt. What swayed Melody was how much affection was in her older self's eyes when she looked at the Doctor. "All right, let's do this," she told them.

Hermione nodded and waited for the Doctor to lead them back to the TARDIS. She took up the rear, not quite trusting her younger self. Once they were all inside, Hermione saw a metal headset hanging from the ceiling next to the control console. It was silver in color and had three pads that contacted the user's head. There was a bright red dial on the right contact point.

The Doctor hurried over to the Chameleon Arch and made some adjustments for Melody. He turned the red dial to maximum. He saw Melody looking at him suspiciously. "This dial determines how much of your memory and personality from your current life you carry over into the new one," he explained. "I trust that you want to get rid of Madam Kovarian's indoctrination?" he asked.

Melody looked at Hermione, who simply nodded in encouragement. "What you're offering me is a fresh start, one where my parents raise me?" she asked for clarification.

"Exactly," the Doctor replied, beaming.

"What's the catch?" she inquired, not trusting him completely.

"It hurts more than you can imagine and everything it takes away gets stored so that if you want it back, or someone wants to force it back on you, the process can be undone," he responded truthfully.

The Doctor's willingness to admit the pain involved tipped the scales. Melody bravely strode over to the strange device and placed it over her head. "Ready when you are, Doctor," she told him. She saw a single tear slide down his cheek as he reached for the switch that would activate the arch.

"I really am sorry. This is going to be quite painful," he reminded her and flipped the switch. Melody screamed in anguish as her cells were reconfigured and her DNA overwritten. A golden glow surrounded her and she fell to the floor, shrinking in on herself. When the process was over, the Doctor picked up a red and yellow baby blanket the TARDIS had thoughtfully provided nearby. He wrapped up Melody in the blanket and noted she looked closer to eight months than a year. _Close enough,_ he thought. He placed Melody on one of the seats he had mounted to the guard rail and went back to the Chameleon Arch. He snapped off the pocket watch from the rear of the device and held it out to Hermione. "Here, this belongs to you," he told her.

Hermione took the watch and looked at the intricate design of circles and lines on the top. "What exactly is it?" she asked him. She was pretty sure she already knew the answer, but wanted him to confirm things.

"All of Melody's memories and personality are stored in there, as well as your Time Lord essence," the Doctor explained. "You'll have to open it to regain the ability to regenerate," he advised her.

The watch felt heavy in Hermione's hands. She made a quick decision and threw the watch across the control room with one hand and drew her wand with the other. "**_CONFRINGO_**!" she shouted. Green energy shot from the tip of her wand and struck the pocket watch, blasting it into dust.

"What have you done?" the Doctor screamed.

Hermione put her wand away and stepped in front of the Doctor. She put a hand on either side of his shocked face. "Listen to me, Doctor," she commanded. "I love you and I won't risk losing that by having Melody's memories and personality thrust back upon me," she said slowly. "If that means I live out my life with a normal human lifespan - with no redoes, then so be it. I won't lose you," she told him firmly. "I plan on growing old with you by my side, even if that means you won't grow old with me," she whispered. The Doctor broke out in silent sobs and held her close to him. Hermione had no idea he was thinking about a library that wouldn't be built for thousands of years. The library where he watched her die, far from being an old woman.


	25. Chapter 25

**An empty warehouse on the outskirts of London, 1980**

The crackling energy discharge of a Vortex Manipulator arced from the center of the room to the metal girders high above the concrete floor. The energy coalesced into a large, glowing ball and then disappeared, leaving three people where it used to be. Amy Pond took in a deep breath and let go of River's hand once she appeared. Rory held on for just a moment longer until the world stopped spinning around him. Eventually his balance came back and he let go as well. "I think I prefer the TARDIS," Rory mumbled, trying to keep his last meal down.

Amy looked around the large, empty warehouse once River turned on the lights with her pocket super-computer. Wrapping her arms around herself, Amy complained, "It's freezing in here!" She was still wearing the thin, white hospital scrubs she had been given after she gave birth to Melody. Rory took off his red cloak and draped it over Amy's shoulders. The leather armor of his Centurion uniform kept him warm, even if it was a bit drafty at times under his leather kilt. Amy smiled warmly at her husband and kissed his hand while it was on her shoulder. She looked at River, full of questions. "Where are we?" Amy asked.

"Just outside London, but the real question you should ask is 'when are we'?" River replied, a slightly smug look on her face.

Amy rolled her eyes. "All right, when are we?" she repeated.

"1980," River said simply.

"What? I won't even be born for another 9 years," Amy complained, her Scottish brogue thickening with her frustration. "Why are we here?" she demanded to know.

As if on cue, the familiar sounds of the TARDIS materializing floated towards them from the far side of the warehouse. The doors opened and the Doctor strode out, holding a baby wrapped in a red and yellow blanket. Behind him, a young woman with bushy hair just like River's followed him out. The girl saw Amy and Rory and ran to them. "Mother…Dad," she sighed and hugged them. Rory looked at Amy, shrugged, and hugged the girl back. Up-close, he was able to see all of the similarities between her and River.

River took a step backwards, careful not to touch Hermione. "Come on, you get see them again soon, give them time to coo and gush over our much younger self," she suggested. Hermione let go and smiled at River. She stepped to the side, allowing room for the Doctor and the baby. Rory watched his teenage daughter standing next to her adult self. River's words from when they were investigating the Silence's ship came back to him, "_When I first met the Doctor — a long, long time ago — he knew all about me. Think about that. Impressionable young girl and suddenly this man just drops out of the sky. He's clever and mad and wonderful and... and knows every last thing about her. Imagine what that does to a girl_." He sighed and told himself to just accept the fact that the Doctor was going to play a major part in the lives of the two women he loved most, his wife and his daughter.

Amy could barely keep from running to the Doctor and snatching the baby away from him. "Is that… is that Melody?" she said, her voice breaking while she took the baby from his arms.

"No Mother, not Melody… never Melody," River spoke up. Amy turned towards her, disturbed. River gave her a warm smile. "Madam Kovarian is still looking for us and I doubt she will ever give up. She knows about me and Melody, but not about her," she said, pointing to the baby and then Hermione. "You'll have to come up with a new name for us as well as a new last name for yourselves if you want to stay hidden," she suggested.

Amy pouted while she tried to think of a new name. Her eyes lit up when an idea hit her. "I know, we'll call her Harmony," she proclaimed.

Rory watched the young woman and River both look like they were going to be ill. He looked down at his baby daughter and stroked her cheek. "Sorry, but I think that's too close to Melody," he told Amy. "What's with you and the musical terms, anyway?" he wondered.

Amy narrowed her eyes at her husband. "All right, Mr. Smarty Pants, what do you think we should name her?" she asked sarcastically.

"I think we should call her…Hermione," Rory replied, the name popping into his head.

Shaking her head in frustration, Amy frowned at Rory. "You always were a Shakespeare nerd in school," she reminded him. "I'm surprised you didn't take Bill up on his offer to go back to his room the last time we met," she teased. "It's too odd of a name. I think…" she started to say before she was interrupted by Hermione and River at the same time.

"I love it," they exclaimed. Truth was, Hermione had always been proud to have such a unique name.

Rory decided to go with the momentum, since any sort of disagreement with Amy usually went her way. "As for our last name, we should use…" he said while looking at Hermione. He watched her mouth "Granger" silently. "Granger!" he shouted. "It's my mother's maiden name. I doubt that scary eye patch lady will think to look for us under that name," he offered.

Looking down at her baby, Amy got lost in her eyes. Any thought of arguing with Rory fled as she focused all of her attention on _Hermione_. "Fine, Amy, Rory, and Hermione Granger," she cooed to the baby.

Rory's face suddenly looked a bit concerned. "Um, Doctor…if we're going to stay here and now, how will we get jobs? All of my nursing credentials are under my old name," he stated. "Of course, I won't actually take those tests for another 20 years, but you get the idea," he added.

A tall man in a crisp military uniform stepped into the light. His red beret folded perfectly over one ear. "I think I can be of help with that," he said, surprising everyone but the Doctor and River.

"Brigadier!" the Doctor exclaimed warmly. "Thank you for coming," he told his old friend.

Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart looked at the young man wearing the old style clothes with a bow tie. "Doctor, I presume?" he inquired. When the Doctor nodded, the Brigadier strode over and shook his old friend's hand. "You should know by now that whenever you call, I shall be there, barring death of course," he told the alien sternly.

The Doctor gestured towards the odd family reunion. "First off, I would like to introduce you someone very special to me, Hermione Granger," he stated and pointed to the baby, the young woman who looked like she was in her late teens, and the woman who looked to be in her forties. The way the Doctor had said it made the edge of the Brigadier's mouth turn up. He had known the Doctor for many, many years and he had never heard that particular type of affection in his voice before.

The Brigadier stepped forward and shook hands with first Hermione and then River. "It is a pleasure to meet you," he told them. He leaned down and stroked a bit of the baby's hair. "From what I gather, the three of you are the same person, just at different points in your Timeline?" he asked the two that could speak. Hermione and River nodded. "Amazing, just like the Fates from mythology. The Maiden, the..." he started to say before the Doctor interrupted him.

"If I were you, I wouldn't finish that sentence. At least not if you want to walk out of here with two good legs," the Doctor warned. He had no desire to see how Hermione would react to being referred to as "the Mother" and he definitely didn't want to see how River would take being called "the Crone".

"You know me so well, my love," River told the Doctor, reading his expression.

The use of "my love" confirmed what the Brigadier had been thinking, but it still made him arch an eyebrow. Wanting to change the subject, the Doctor reached over and turned the Brigadier to face Amy and Rory. "Brigadier, are you familiar with the stories about the Pandorica?" he inquired.

The Brigadier had known the Doctor far too long to be caught off guard by the seemingly random question. "The Pandorica is a level 7 trans dimensional artifact," he replied.

"Actually, by your standards, it would be classified as a level 9, but you seem to have the idea," the Doctor corrected. He pointed at Rory proudly. "I would like to introduce you to Rory, the Last Centurion. A man who waited nearly 2000 years for his wife. He also managed to make the entire 12th Cyber Legion involuntarily expel their used oil when forced to deal with him," he proclaimed.

Rory looked embarrassed to have the Doctor praise him like that. "Let's be fair, Doctor. You were the one who taught me how to set up thecharged particle relay that destroyed most of their fleet," he countered.

"Moving on," the Doctor said. He stepped over and put his arm around Amy's shoulder. "And this old friend, is the woman special enough for the Last Centurion to wait all that time," he explained. "Oh… and she was also the one who made it possible for us to reboot the Universe after it collapsed back on itself," he added proudly.

A moment passed while the Brigadier let that information sink in. The Doctor had called him out of the blue and asked if he had any jobs available for a pair of his Companions who needed to spend time on Earth raising their daughter. The Brigadier never suspected they would be so… special. They actually sounded like the perfect candidates for a pet project he wanted to get off the ground. The bastards over at the Torchwood Institute had been getting to the scene of alien events before UNIT was able to far too often. What UNIT needed was its own covert team of operatives that could be mobilized much faster than regular troops.

The Doctor saw the wheels turning in the Brigadier's head. "Do they fit the bill for covert operatives, Brigadier?" he pressed.

The Brigadier kept his face neutral, even though the Doctor had managed to surprise him by mentioning what he was thinking. "Very much so," he replied. "We will have to come up with cover identities for them," he went on. "Any suggestions, Doctor?" he requested.

Amy cocked her head to the side while she thought. She answered for the Doctor by saying, "How about dentists? No one would ever suspect a dentist of leading a second life as an alien hunter," she proposed.

Rory thought the idea was sound except for one part. "No one will ever believe you're a dentist," he pointed out to Amy. She responded by stepping on his foot. Rory stifled a yell of pain, not wanting to wake the baby. He turned a pained face to the Brigadier. "Dentists sound wonderful," he said through clenched teeth.

"Wonderful, we can head back to my estate for the evening and draw up the rest of our plans in the morning," he suggested.

While the Doctor was talking to her mother, Hermione gave River a close visual inspection. She was fairly happy with how she looked later in life. One thing did stand out however as Hermione looked form River's chest to her own. "Um… do I get some work done in the future?" she asked her older self.

River looked like the cat that swallowed the canary. She leaned in towards Hermione slightly and winked. "Spoilers," she warned and then went back to watching her lover talk with her parents.

The Doctor started to pace back and forth. "I'm forgetting something," he muttered. With a snap of his fingers, he spun around to face the group. "Paper… I need paper and something to write with," he told them. The Brigadier reached into his uniform coat and pulled out a notebook and pen. "Will this do?" he inquired.

The Doctor snatched the notebook and pen from the Brigadier's hand and examined it closely. He held it in front of his face and turned it slightly to look at the paper in different light. "Perfect, thank you," he said absently. The Doctor wrote out the two sets of Spatial / Temporal coordinates Amy had given him onto the paper. He tore the page out of the notebook and returned the notebook to the Brigadier. Handing the page to Amy, the Doctor ordered, "Give this to me when the Time is right."

Amy shifted the baby so she could take the paper and then looked up at the Doctor, sorrow in her eyes. "We won't be seeing you again for quite a while, will we?" she asked softly.

The Doctor smiled at her and looked over at Hermione. "16 years, give or take a few months," he replied. Amy closed her eyes, forcing the thought of being without the Doctor for so long out of her mind.

Rory stepped forward and grabbed the Doctor's arm in a Roman style hand shake. "16 years then, Doctor," he told his friend. Rory placed his arm around Amy and led her towards the door where he assumed the Brigadier had come in.

The Brigadier nodded to the Doctor. "Until next time, old friend," he said warmly and then went to follow the Grangers.

After those staying in that particular decade left, the Doctor looked at River. "Hello, Sweetie… that's a code isn't it?" he inquired.

River flashed him a warm smile. "Of course it is," she replied. "I use it to tell when you are in your Timeline," she explained, referencing their first real kiss.

"So, what's next for you?" the Doctor asked River.

River reached forward and brushed his cheek. "As much as I would love to relive this wonderful time at the beginning of our relationship, I should probably let the younger me enjoy it instead," she told him. Without warning, River wrapped her arms around the Doctor and gave him a passionate kiss, which the Doctor returned with equal passion. When she was done, River stepped back and looked at Hermione, who was glaring daggers at her. "I forgot how jealous I get when I watch me kiss you," she laughed, addressing the Doctor.

Hermione stomped her foot in anger and grabbed the Doctor, spinning him to face her. She threw her arms around the Doctor's neck and tried to kiss him with as much passion as River had, just to even the score with herself. While Hermione wasn't as practiced as River, the Doctor still enjoyed it immensely.

River saw the involuntary grin on the Doctor's face. "Don't get any ideas, Sweetie," she warned the Doctor. "We found out the Blinovitch Limitation Effect does apply to me," she explained. When she saw he was about to ask a question, River wagged a finger at him and said, "Spoilers, Dear." She looked at him with a sly, sexy look in her eyes. "Of course as a Time Lord, you don't have to worry about there being more than one of you present. Just saying…," she hinted, making the Doctor and Hermione blush. River held up her Vortex Manipulator and started entering in a set of coordinates. "Don't worry about me, Sweetie. I have a dinner date this evening with you and Jack. It should be ever so much fun," she told him.

Before River could activate her Vortex Manipulator, Hermione asked, "Who's Jack?"

River grinned from ear to ear. "I definitely don't want to spoil that for you. You'll find out soon enough," she teased and then pressed the switch on her Vortex Manipulator, sending her back to the 51st Century.

**********DrW**********

**Hogwarts, Spring 1997**

Serverus Snape stood over Harry as he lay fighting to remain conscious. Snape kicked the young wizard's wand away from them. "Don't call me coward!" he spat. Harry thought he might have been imagining it, but the way Snape had said it made him think those words coming from him hurt more than he could imagine. Snape's head turned quickly as he heard a strange rising and falling noise next to the burning hut that had been Hagrid's home. Snape held his robe tight as he ran off after the other Death Eaters when he saw the Doctor's blue box start to fade into view.

Harry saw the doors to the TARDIS open and Hermione step out. "This isn't my parent's house, it's Hogwarts" she stated. She looked at the ground in front of her and saw some wild flowers that had started to bloom. "And this definitely isn't Christmas time," she scolded. The popping and crackling of the fire behind her drew her attention. A gasp escaped her mouth as she saw Hagrid's hut consumed in flames.

"Hermione!" Harry shouted weakly.

"Harry! My god, what's happened here?" Hermione replied and ran over to kneel beside her friend. A quick wave of her wand over him told her he wasn't seriously hurt, only stunned.

Harry reached for Hermione's hand, his own trembling. "Snape… Snape killed Prof. Dumbledore," he sobbed. Hermione looked over her shoulder at the Doctor, wanting him to tell her this was all a mistake.

The Doctor saw the pain in Hermione's eyes and wished with both of his hearts that he could change things, but they had already become part of these particular events. He heard footstep approaching and looked up the path towards the castle. Ron and Ginny were racing towards them with Ace, Luna, and Prof. McGonagall following close behind. Ron stopped short when he saw the TARDIS next to the burning hut. He looked from Hermione to the Doctor, anger making him shake. "Where the bloody hell have you two been?" he demanded. Ginny tried to calm Ron by putting a hand on his arm. He shook of her hand and stepped threateningly towards the Doctor. "This is all your fault!" he screamed. "If Hermione had still been here, Dumbledore would still be with us!" he accused.

Ginny let her eyes unfocus on the present and looked into the Timestreams flowing around them. When she came back to the here and now, she grabbed Ron's arm more forcefully. "You're wrong, Ron," she told him, her voice hard. "Prof. Dumbledore's death is a fixed point. Nothing anyone could have done would have been able to prevent it," she tried to explain.

Ron saw the look of warning his sister gave him and he stepped back for a moment. "He still didn't tell me where they've been," he muttered defiantly.

"We were taking care of family business," Hermione shot back. She felt partially guilty for not being there, but what Ginny had said had helped ease it. She also remembered what the Doctor had told her one night after he had come out about being an alien. He had told her that the TARDIS often overrode his controls. The only explanation he could give was that he said the TARDIS might not take him where he wanted to be, but she always took him where he needed to go. She found strength in her faith of him and the TARDIS.

Ron and the Doctor helped Harry to his feet while Ace, Luna, and Prof. McGonagall caught up to them. "Doctor, Miss Granger," McGonagall said, greeting them. She looked at Hermione, "Your presence was sorely missed this semester," she told her.

Hermione started to panic. "I missed an entire semester? What am I going to do?" she gasped.

Prof. McGonagall smiled slightly at her favorite pupil. "It seems an error on the school's part has turned out in your favor, Miss Granger," she stated. "Somehow, you were given the final exam instead of the mid-term exams for all of your classes," she explained. "We were going to discuss it with you when you returned, but…" she told her and then held out her hands to indicate everything around them. "Oh, by the way you passed all of them with flying colors," she informed Hermione.

Ron looked skeptically at Hermione. "You didn't notice the exams were covering things we hadn't gone over yet?" he asked.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "I make it a point to read all of my text books cover to cover in the first few weeks," she replied. "That way I'm not surprised by anything," she added.

Ron found himself smiling, despite himself. He could always count on Hermione to be true to form. He turned to look at Prof. McGonagall. "How did Hermione end up with the final exams?" he questioned. "Prof. Slughorn told us he had only just finished writing his the day before he gave it,' he pointed out.

"I asked the same question of Prof. Dumbledore," McGonagall responded, her voice hitching on the last word. She took in a deep breath to calm herself and then went on. "Prof. Dumbledore suggested that perhaps the castle had intervened somehow. I got the distinct impression he wasn't telling me everything," she said in a rare moment of candor.

The discussion was halted when a very large crow plummeted out of the sky towards them. The bird broke off its dive as it dropped two large, clear gems in their midst. With an evil sounding squawk, the crow flew off.

The gem closest to Harry began to glow red and suddenly an image of Lord Voldemort took form. The image stepped through Ron with the utmost contempt. "Hello, Harry," Voldemort said, his voice as calm and smooth as always. The image slowly spun around, making eye contact with everyone there. He took note of who looked away and who met his gaze. He was surprised that only Ron, Luna, and McGonagall looked away. He was very pleased that Ginny met his eyes without flinching. Voldemort made a show of looking the Doctor over. "Finally decided to give up on looking old and distinguished," he asked rhetorically. "Good for you," he praised the Doctor. Voldemort enjoyed how uncomfortable the Doctor looked.

"What do you want, Tom?" Harry snarled.

Voldemort gave Harry a disapproving look. "Quiet boy, your elders are speaking," he chastised. The image of Voldemort took a couple of steps towards Ginny, stopping directly in front of her. He bent down and studied her eyes. It was easy considering she was staring at him with undisguised hatred. "Have you looked at her eyes, Doctor?" he wondered. "It's amazing how much they remind me of Susan's mother's," he said in an offhand manner. Voldemort smiled as he saw the Doctor stumble backwards, as if he had been struck.

The Doctor swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. "There's only one person in the Universe who remembers what my oldest daughter looked like," he stated, not wanting to believe the truth.

If anything, Voldemort's smile became larger. "That's correct, Doctor," he told the alien. "It wasn't a coincidence that my subconscious came up with the name 'Voldemort'," he explained.

Ace went to her foster father's side. "What's going on, Professor?" she asked, not liking how pale the Doctor had become.

The Doctor spared a glance for Ace. "Voldemort is Low Gallifreyan for Valeyard," he told her.

Ace took an involuntary step away, her hand covering her mouth. "No… NO… not him, it can't be him!" she babbled. "He was destroyed when his TARDIS exploded!" she screamed, trying to rationalize the specter away.

Voldemort shook his head sadly. "Ace, it's been too long," he told her, menace dripping from his words. "Silly girl, you should know by now that as long as the Doctor lives, I exist in some form or another," he reminded her. "As for you, Doctor, I look forward to our next meeting. We have so much to catch up on," he promised and snapped his fingers. As soon as he did, the image of Voldemort vanished and the gems melted into a shiny puddle. The Doctor dropped to his knees, guilt and shame weighing him down.

Hermione left Harry's side and rushed to her boyfriend. She lifted his chin so she could see his eyes. Tears were streaming down his cheek. "What is Voldemort talking about?" she asked him, not sure she wanted to hear the answer. To her, it had sounded like Voldemort was claiming to be another Time Lord, something too scary for her to dwell on. The truth would be far harder to face.

In between wracking sobs the Doctor admitted, "The Valeyard is a future version of me. I'm _Voldemort_."

**THE END**

The sequel will be started soon. Keep an eye out for "A River of Magic – Hermione's Song Book 2".


	26. Audio information

An audio drama version of this story can be found at hermionessong-dot-wordpress-dot-com. It was performed by me and a friend.


End file.
